Meta has agreed to a $25 million settlement with former U.S. President Donald Trump over his 2021 lawsuit regarding account suspensions following the January 6 Capitol riots. According to the Wall Street Journal, approximately $22 million will fund Trump’s presidential library, with the remainder covering legal costs and other plaintiffs’ claims.
The settlement coincides with a notable shift in relations between Trump and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, evidenced by Zuckerberg’s recent visit to Mar-a-Lago and Meta’s $1 million donation to Trump’s inauguration fund following his election victory in November.
Meanwhile, Meta is defending its substantial $65 billion investment in artificial intelligence amid market volatility triggered by the emergence of Chinese AI app DeepSeek. CEO Mark Zuckerberg emphasized the company’s commitment to open-source AI development, viewing it as crucial for maintaining U.S. technological leadership.
“There’s going to be an open source standard globally and I think for our own national advantage it’s important that it’s an American standard,” Zuckerberg stated during an investor call. “We want to build the AI system that people around the world are using.”
Meta’s financial performance remains strong, with fourth-quarter 2024 revenue reaching $48 billion, a 21% year-over-year increase. Despite heavy AI investments, the company reported a quarterly profit of over $20 billion, up 49% from the previous year.
Additional strategic initiatives include plans to expand smart glasses adoption and revitalize Facebook’s cultural relevance. Zuckerberg also defended the company’s recent decision to end fact-checking in favor of community notes, noting no negative impact on advertiser demand.
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