Facebook parent Meta is reinstating former President Donald Trump's personal account after a two-year suspension following the Jan 6 insurrection.
The company said in a blog post Wednesday it is adding “new guardrails” to ensure there are no “repeat offenders” who violate its rules.
“In the event that Mr. Trump posts further violating content, the content will be removed and he will be suspended for between one month and two years, depending on the severity of the violation,” wrote Nick Clegg, Meta's vice president of global affairs.
Trump, in a post on his own social media network, blasted Facebook’s decision to suspend his account as he praised his own site, Truth Social.
“FACEBOOK, which has lost Billions of Dollars in value since “deplatforming” your favorite President, me, has just announced that they are reinstating my account. Such a thing should never again happen to a sitting President, or anybody else who is not deserving of retribution!” he wrote.
He was suspended on Jan 7, a day after the deadly 2021 insurrection. Other social media companies also kicked him off their platforms, though he was recently reinstated on Twitter after Elon Musk took over the company. He has not tweeted.
Civil rights groups and others were quick to denounce Meta's move. Letting Trump back on Facebook sends a signal to other figures with large online audiences that they may break the rules without lasting consequences, said Heidi Beirich, founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism and a member of a group called the Real Facebook Oversight Board that has criticized the platform’s efforts.
“I am not surprised but it is a disaster,” Beirich said of Meta’s decision. “Facebook created loopholes for Trump that he went right through. He incited an insurrection on Facebook. And now he’s back.”
Clegg said that in light of his previous violations, Trump now faces heightened penalties for repeat offenses. Such penalties “will apply to other public figures whose accounts are reinstated from suspensions related to civil unrest under our updated protocol.”
If Trump — or anyone else — posts material that doesn't violate Facebook's rules but is otherwise harmful and could lead to events such as the Jan 6 insurrection, Meta says it will not remove it but will limit its reach. This includes praising the QAnon conspiracy theory or trying to delegitimize an upcoming election.
Meta said Trump's accounts will be restored in the coming weeks on Facebook and on Instagram. Banned from mainstream social media, Trump has been relying on Truth Social, which he launched after being blocked from Twitter.
Associated Press Writer David Klepper in Washington contributed to this story.
© Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
57 Comments
Michael Machida
Great! Now he can say stupid things again.
starpunk
There should be NO social media allowed for this fascist traitor criminal. He should be in solitary prison confinement for life, with NO internet access or contact with anyone from the outside world. Meta is abetting and giving comfort to a terrorist and an enemy of the United States. This in itself is a treasonous act and an outrage.
Ah_so
Why would Trump need a presence on Facebook when he has his own super successful social media platform "Truth Social"?
It does sound like this is the first bit of good news Trump has had in a long long time. But then again, a 14 year-old can have a Facebook account, but I guess you've got to start somewhere.
lincolnman
So the MAGA-Comedy channel is returning to Facebook - OK...
Wonder how long he'll last....I'm guessing one day at most before he makes another racist tirade against McConnell's wife and his former hand-picked Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao or on his words "Coco Chow"....
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/12/29/elaine-chao-donald-trump-racist-taunt/10966484002/
u_s__reamer
Good! By reinstating him Facebook will again allow Trump to re-incriminate himself. I don't use the platform myself so all I'm waiting for is to see his orange mugshot impersonating Gary Busey, whenever Merrick remembers he's wanted back at the office.
Northernlife
Facebook stocks to a major bashing once this news came out..
bass4funk
He's not a traitor, he's not Snowden or Swalwell
Maybe that kind of thinking works well in Somalia, but not in a democracy, believe me, I feel you, I feel worse about every person in this current admin, but laws are laws and rules are rules in a civilized society.
Hogwash, as an American this is the right and just thing to do, these people lied and got in bed with politics which is something they should have never done, they are a social media platform and NOT a political one, they got caught and thanks to Musk for exposing all of the outrageous undertakings they did to a sitting President of the US, I hate Obama, but if they would have done that to him does anyone think that the left would have stood by and allowed that to happen? Think about it, no difference here. They at least partially admitted that they were wrong and it is a good start, still don't trust these people if my life depended on it, but they have moved in the right direction and it is a just and long overdue one.
wallace
Trump did not return to Twitter and probably won't return to FB.
Jimizo
A good point.
I miss Trump’s Twitter account in some ways. It was teenage fart/knob joke level but he could be funny.
It did get ugly when he gave publicity to a foul racist organization in the UK by retweeting a dodgy video from them. That was sewer level.
wallace
Trump has an exclusive contract with Truth Social and now wants to end that and return to Twitter. Truth Social CEO Devin Nunes denied an earlier report that Trump wants to make the switch.
plasticmonkey
What a silly and stupid man.
Trump owes ALL his fame to mainstream media and social media, while lambasting them for being “unfair” to him. Especially the NY Times, WaPo, NBC, Twitter, and Facebook.
By all means, go ahead and spout your self-worshipping and spiteful nonsense on Facebook. You’re a washed up loser anyway.
Moonraker
Stupid man can say more stupid things.
Jimizo
His self-pity and playing the victim card is more common these days.
Not as funny as he used to be.
Blacklabel
Such anger and dismay that one man will even have the ability to speak, if he so chooses.
RKL
After two years, people who had no right to vote for or against Trump then, get triggered by this?
Jimizo
Do you miss the days when he retweeted trash memes like hitting Hillary Clinton with a golf ball?
I must admit, I do to a point. It takes me back to the days when we lit farts in break time at school or drew knobs on other’s blazers in chalk.
bass4funk
Doesn’t mean he won’t in the future, but the good thing is, he can.
Why?
Well, all politicians do, good or bad. Now when and if he decides to run, they all know they need Trump and he needs them.
No, not even close.
https://www.newsweek.com/gop-favorability-rising-trump-mccarthy-jump-double-digits-poll-1775521
Blacklabel
Oh that one was hilarious!
wallace
bass4funk
Only if he can be released from his contract with Truth Social.
bass4funk
Not entirely true, but he has time.
Bob Fosse
He’s a traitor to truth social, he promised exclusivity.
TokyoLiving
Well, the big orange clown is back to make Facebook more amusing, lol..
wallace
bass4funkToday 10:45 am JST
How so?
bass4funk
Now the left demand accountability? Smh….
How not?
wallace
People invested billions into Truth Social on the condition that Trump had an exclusive contract. Will he now break that contract? Will those investors lose money?
wallace
A question is never answered by another question.
bass4funk
He could, wouldn’t be the first contract a person broke, doubt investors will lose money, there are other people that people should look at when it comes to investor fraud.
You would know this.
lincolnman
But Hillary got the last and bigger laugh....
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/20/trump-and-lawyers-sanctioned-almost-1-million-for-frivolous-lawsuit-against-hillary-clinton.html
Build the Wall, Defend the Election, now Truth Social...when will Trump supporters wake up to the Ultra MAGA King playing them for fools and hustling all their money?
wallace
We all know Trump frequently breaks promises, and contracts and is a proven serial liar.
wallace
You would know that.
japancat
So.
bass4funk
He’s a politician now, joined the big club like the the others, take a number.
Ditto
Blacklabel
Oh did she? Sure seems she never became President and never will. still seems quite bitter about her loss.
nishikat
What will happen with Trump book? Is it just a waste?
Bob Fosse
Do they? I see.
Anyway, back to the topic at hand. How about 45 breaking another promise and tricking his tubes again?
How do you feel about that?
Don’t use ‘the left’ or ‘Biden’ or ‘Dems’ in your answer, it won’t be at all relevant.
bass4funk
Was he the first politician to do so? See Washington recently?
Nothing to do with me.
Sadly, you don’t get to tell me how I should answer.
plasticmonkey
Right. You know, who hasn’t conned the NY Times into writing a story that inflated their achievements and worth? And which politician hasn’t had their own reality TV show on NBC that mythologizes them beyond recognition? And who hasn’t used FB to scam feeble-minded voters into donating money and then calling the whole platform biased against themselves? We’re all such hypocrites!
wallace
Trump won't be the GOP nomination in 2024.
Bob Fosse
I see. Anyway, back to the topic at hand. How about 45 breaking another promise?
Is that right? I seem to recall you spent many hours on here attacking Facebook and proclaiming truth social the savior of free speech.
Now it has nothing to do with you? That is quite a turnaround.
Seems no one can, nor the notions of logic, memory, relevance or sense.
wallace
How it was going to save the First Amendment. Oh! boy!
Nemo
Trump is a traitor and a criminal of zero residual value.
He shouldn’t be on social media of any kind.
At least we will get to enjoy him incriminating himself when he’s indicted on multiple felonies and can’t keep his yap shut.
wallace
Not all politicians are presidents held to higher standards but with Trump not all presidents are politicians.
wallace
Trump does not get the media rush he gets from Twitter and FB. We don,t even know how many members. Trump is a media junkie and needs his daily fix. Like a donkey in the car headlights.
Strangerland
I'm ok with this, because it seems every time Trump opens his mouth, he just says something that either increases his legal culpability for the charges he is facing, or says something that alienates non-partisan centrist votes required to actually win an election.
People are tired of the crazy. The more he can broadcast his crazy, the more people he will turn off. Let him bleat on FB - give a man enough rope...
bass4funk
As if they have any credibility! ROFL
The FBI and the big wigs at the helm sure scammed people and got their fill.
Ahhh, because you say so?
https://www.newsweek.com/gop-favorability-rising-trump-mccarthy-jump-double-digits-poll-1775521
bass4funk
As far as rush goes, seems like Trump won’t have to worry about Schiff, Swalwell or Omar, annoying him anymore, so that’s indeed refreshing news to hear on a cold shimmering Thursday morning, less to worry about.
wallace
Yes because that is my prediction which is often more correct than yours. You predicted a RedWave in the elections which turned into ketchup. You said the reptiles would retake the house and the senate.
We will know in 2024.
wallace
You should not worry so much worse for your mental health. Play some guitar until it passes.
Schiff, Swalwell or Omar,
Where did they go?
plasticmonkey
Well, it’s the paper that put Trump on the map. That was my point. Which I thought was obvious.
Blacklabel
Yeah the NY Times! that won a Pulitzer for their hard hitting reporting on Russia collusion.
That we just found many years later that the FBI actually did, not Trump.
RKL
bass4funkToday 12:54 pm JST
As far as rush goes, seems like Trump won’t have to worry about Schiff, Swalwell or Omar, annoying him anymore, so that’s indeed refreshing news to hear on a cold shimmering Thursday morning, less to worry about.
The fact that Schiff and Swalwell were on the Intel Committee in the first place is looney.
wallaceToday 12:56 pm JST
Yes because that is my prediction which is often more correct than yours. You predicted a RedWave in the elections which turned into ketchup. You said the reptiles would retake the house and the senate.
We were able to actually vote in the election.
wallace
Don't blame me if you voted for a loser, again.
You know nothing about me.
Awa no Gaijin
Trump makes me smile ,roll my eyes .
He's truly an odd duck.
RKL
wallaceToday 01:13 pm JST
Don't blame me if you voted for a loser, again.
You know nothing about me.
You weren't praised when he won.
And everyone knows everything about you.
wallace
we only have your word for that.
plasticmonkey
Are you dissing the paper that your lord ‘n little savior relied on to make him famous?
You also are missing my point. You just see the words NY Times and you start frothing at the mouth.
bass4funk
Now that has got to the be funniest joke since the Will Smith slap.
Not the House though. Notice how the Dems seem nervous recently. That in itself is worth all the gold.