When former President Donald Trump was kicked off Twitter and Facebook, millions of Americans couldn’t believe it happened.
The companies claimed Trump violated their Terms of Service, though others contend that the move was entirely political. Most pointed toward the platforms’ very apparent leftist bias.
However, after a very long absence, Trump might finally return to one of the biggest social platforms on earth.
Last year, new Twitter CEO Elon Musk reactivated Trump’s account, after he’d been booted off for his alleged role in the January 6 riots in Washington D.C.
At the time, Trump announced he’d be sticking with his own social media platform – TRUTH Social – though he said Musk was a “good man” and he hoped he’d make many improvements.
As for Meta (formerly called Facebook), Trump was banned off that platform shortly after Twitter made the move.
But all that could change this month, as Fox News reported:
Facebook’s parent company will soon announce a decision on whether to reinstate former President Donald Trump’s account on the platform, according to a Sunday report.
Meta will announce whether Trump will regain access to his Facebook and Instagram accounts later in January, pushing back a previous deadline of January 7, the Financial Times reported.
Meta President of Global Affairs, Nick Clegg, has organized a team that will decide Trump’s fate.
He said last October that they were “strongly considering” ending the ban, saying at the time:
We believe that any private company–and this is really regardless of one’s personal views about Donald Trump–should tread with great thoughtfulness when seeking to, basically, silence political voices.
The decision to ban Trump for 2 years was upheld in June 2021, and currently has an expiration date of January 7, 2023.
Now it’s possible that we hear a final decision later this month. And if the former President is granted access to Meta once again, he could use it as a valuable tool for his 2024 campaign.
When Trump was banned, his account had about 34 million followers, and his Instagram account – now owned by Meta – has 23.3 million fans.
That’s a lot of people to reach if he’s allowed back on, though leftist leaders maintain that Trump’s ban should remain because he’s guilty of inciting an insurrection.
Ironically, though, Trump’s last post on Facebook/Meta read:
I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence!
Remember, WE are the Party of Law & Order – respect the Law and our great men and women in Blue. Thank you!
Trump left similar posts on Twitter, though these have apparently fallen by the wayside in the January 6 special committee investigation.
The former POTUS maintains his innocence on all counts in regards to the Jan. 6 incident, and that committee is wrapping up its probe. Trump will also be winding things up for campaigning this year.
Even so, it’s very possible that if Meta allows him back onto the platform, Trump might still stick with TRUTH Social.
Key Takeaways:
- Meta could make the decision about Donald Trump’s future on the platform this month.
- Trump’s 2-year ban expires on Jan. 7, and last October Meta stated that it’s likely they’ll end the ban.
- This comes after Elon Musk reactivated Trump’s Twitter account, but Trump chose to remain on TRUTH Social.
Source: Fox News
