New York
CNN
—

X, the platform owned by Elon Musk, has reportedly reached a settlement in a lawsuit filed by close ally, former President Donald Trump, concerning his removal from the platform following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

In the aftermath of the January 6 insurrection, social media platforms, including X—previously known as Twitter—and Meta, suspended Trump’s accounts as the era of his first presidency came to a close.

“After careful examination of the recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the surrounding context, we have permanently suspended the account due to the potential risk of further incitement of violence,” announced Twitter on January 8, 2021.

According to reports from The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, both parties have submitted a motion to dismiss the appeal and will cover their own legal fees. The motion was approved on Monday, with inquiries made by CNN to attorneys representing both parties and X for further comments.

Trump initiated legal action against Twitter and its then-CEO, Jack Dorsey, in July 2021. His lawsuit claimed that his right to free speech was being unjustly suppressed.

The platform has undergone a transformation with a new name and ownership under Musk, who was appointed by Trump to oversee the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to improve the federal workforce.

Musk, acknowledged as the wealthiest individual globally, solidified his position as an influential supporter of Trump during last year’s presidential campaign. The recent settlement signals an evolving relationship between Musk, Trump, and significant tech entities.

In May 2022, Judge James Donato of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California dismissed the initial lawsuit. He ruled that Twitter did not violate Trump’s First Amendment rights. Subsequently, Trump filed an appeal with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, where the matter remained unresolved.

Following Musk’s acquisition of Twitter in October 2022, he reinstated Trump’s access to the platform.

X isn’t the first major social media network to resolve a lawsuit with Trump linked to the January 6 events. Recently, he settled a comparable case with Meta, following the suspension of his account in the wake of the insurrection.

The initial terms of that settlement indicate that Meta is to pay approximately $25 million, with $22 million earmarked for Trump’s presidential library fund.

Tech industry leaders have actively sought to develop favorable relationships with the Trump administration, despite previously strained interactions during his first term.

During this time, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration and attended the event alongside other Cabinet nominees. He later ended third-party fact-checking efforts and dismantled diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, which Trump has long criticized. Additionally, Meta brought Trump supporter and UFC president Dana White onto its board recently.

A source familiar with the situation previously informed CNN that Trump and Zuckerberg specifically discussed the lawsuit during a visit to Trump’s golf club in November after the election.

Additionally, Trump filed a lawsuit against Google, which owns YouTube, and its CEO, Sundar Pichai, in 2021, claiming similar biases.

Kaitlan Collins and Brian Fung contributed to this report.