Twitter permanently suspends Trump's account, cites 'incitement of violence' risk

By Elizabeth Culliford, David Shepardson and Katie Paul

 

A photo illustration shows the suspended Twitter account of U.S. President Donald Trump on a smartphone at the White House briefing room in Washington, U.S., January 8, 2021. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/Illustration

 

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Twitter Inc said on Friday that it has permanently suspended U.S. President Donald Trump's account due to the risk of further incitement of violence following the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday by hundreds of his supporters.

 

The move to suspend Trump's account, which had more than 88 million followers, silences his primary megaphone days before the end of his term and follows years of debate about how social media companies should moderate the accounts of powerful global leaders.

 

"After close review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them we have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence," the company said in a tweet.

 

Social media companies have cracked down on Trump's accounts in the wake of the turmoil in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, which led to five deaths. Facebook Inc said earlier this week it was suspending his account through until at least the end of his presidential term.

 

The Republican president is due to hand over to Democratic President-elect Joe Biden on Jan. 20.

 

The White House did not immediately comment.

 

In a blog post on Friday, Twitter said that two of the president's tweets posted that day were in violation of its policy against the glorification of violence.

 

Twitter had temporarily blocked Trump's account on Wednesday following the siege of Capitol Hill, and warned that additional violations by the president's accounts would result in a permanent suspension.

 

Trump was required to delete three rule-breaking tweets before his account was unblocked. He returned to Twitter on Thursday with a video acknowledging that Biden would be the next U.S. president.

 

Twitter said that Trump's tweet that he would not be attending Biden's inauguration was being received by a number of his supporters as further confirmation that the Nov. 3 election that he lost was not legitimate.

 

It said another tweet praising "American Patriots" and saying his supporters "will not be disrespected or treated unfairly in any way, shape or form!!!" could be seen as "further indication that President Trump does not plan to facilitate an orderly transition."

 

Trump's personal @realDonaldTrump account, which has sometimes fired off more than 100 tweets a day, has been used to reach supporters, spread misinformation and even fire staff.

 

Both Twitter and Facebook have long afforded Trump special privileges as a sitting elected world leader, saying that tweets that may violate the company's policies would not be removed because they were in the public interest. They said he would lose access to those privileges upon leaving office, however.

 

Twitter last year started labeling and putting warnings on Trump's tweets last year for repeatedly violating its rules, including its policies against glorifying violence, manipulated media or sharing potentially misleading information about voting processes.

 

Trump still has access to the official @WhiteHouse and @POTUS accounts but will lose this when his presidential term ends.

Asked if Trump could create another account, a Twitter spokeswoman said if the company had reason to believe he was using accounts to evade Friday's suspension, those accounts too could be suspended.

 

(Reporting by Elizabeth Culliford, David Shepardson, Katie Paul and Eric Beech; Editing by Leslie Adler and Sonya Hepinstall)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-01-09

 

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Oh dear! I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall to watch his reaction when he found out.

A song for Melany..

Shame they didn't do so a long time ago. God knows how many mistruths have been told through it and picked up by his followers.

Parler just got a huge boost.

This is actually a big deal.  Twitter was Trump's primary vehicle to spread lies and attack people.  Without it, he's practically impotent.  Yes, it should have been done sooner, but better late than never.  Besides, if Trump was still President, he'd have several avenues to go after Twitter and other media companies.  As an ex-President, he's can't do much. 

1 minute ago, placeholder said:

Parler just got a huge boost.

Not so fast...

 

[Apple has informed the social media network Parler that it has 24 hours to rid the platform of inappropriate content, or else face removal from the App Store.]

 

https://9to5mac.com/2021/01/08/apple-says-it-will-kick-parler-off-the-app-store-in-24-hours-unless-content-is-moderated/

Should have been done a long time ago.

This man has spread so much hate in the world and brainwashed many into believing his BS.

Alex Jones is another.

Complete and utter tools the pair of em,

https://deadline.com/2021/01/twitter-suspends-president-donald-trumps-account-facebook-incitement-1234667769/

 

Plans for future armed protests have already begun proliferating on and off-Twitter, including a proposed secondary attack on the US Capitol and state capitol buildings on January 17, 2021.

10 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

This is actually a big deal.  Twitter was Trump's primary vehicle to spread lies and attack people.  Without it, he's practically impotent.  Yes, it should have been done sooner, but better late than never.  Besides, if Trump was still President, he'd have several avenues to go after Twitter and other media companies.  As an ex-President, he's can't do much. 

I don't agree.  Trump is still head of the GOP and has millions of clueless followers who treat him like an idol.  He's not going away any time soon.  Sadly.

 

Great article to read, explains a lot.

 

https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/01/09/the-terrible-scenes-on-capitol-hill-illustrate-how-donald-trump-has-changed-his-party

Trump should consider this a gift....I wish Twitter would suspend my kids...and have them return to reading books or seeing nature.

7 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

I don't agree.  Trump is still head of the GOP and has millions of clueless followers who treat him like an idol.  He's not going away any time soon.  Sadly.

 

Great article to read, explains a lot.

 

https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/01/09/the-terrible-scenes-on-capitol-hill-illustrate-how-donald-trump-has-changed-his-party

Time will tell.  The reason most in the GOP fear Trump is they fear his base.  What's his base?  It's mostly his 88 million Twitter followers.  Think about it.

21 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Parler just got a huge boost.

 

Google took Parler off the Play Store just now. Apple is said to be considering the same.

 

 

1 minute ago, mtls2005 said:

 

Google took Parler off the Play Store just now. Apple is said to be considering the same.

 

 

I should have anticipated that.  Still, I imagine that, at least for Android, there will be other ways to load the app.

5 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

Time will tell.  The reason most in the GOP fear Trump is they fear his base.  What's his base?  It's mostly his 88 million Twitter followers.  Think about it.

Do you realy think those 88 millions is his fan, or mostly a diverse group who follow for political reasons also opponements as those who is there for the entertainment as curiosity ? 

 

I doupt his true blod fan base is that great, but I might be wrong. Two million blood fans, can do alot of harm for sure. 

4 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

Time will tell.  The reason most in the GOP fear Trump is they fear his base.  What's his base?  It's mostly his 88 million Twitter followers.  Think about it.

I don't think 88 million are hard core supporters.  I follow his account but hate him. LOL

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trumps-base-is-smaller-than-he-thinks/2019/10/06/0826a842-e6dd-11e9-a6e8-8759c5c7f608_story.html

Those of us who support impeachment don’t deny that there is a “Trump base” but insist that mountains of polling evidence show that it amounts to 25 to 30 percent of voters at most. The rest of the 46 percent who voted for Trump have real doubts about who he is, how he behaves and what he is doing to our country.

1 minute ago, Jeffr2 said:

I don't think 88 million are hard core supporters.  I follow his account but hate him. LOL

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trumps-base-is-smaller-than-he-thinks/2019/10/06/0826a842-e6dd-11e9-a6e8-8759c5c7f608_story.html

Those of us who support impeachment don’t deny that there is a “Trump base” but insist that mountains of polling evidence show that it amounts to 25 to 30 percent of voters at most. The rest of the 46 percent who voted for Trump have real doubts about who he is, how he behaves and what he is doing to our country.

I actually agree with the WaPo assessment.  His hardcore base is much smaller than the 74 mil who voted for him.  And yes, much smaller than his Twitter following.  But like the NRA, the hardcore supporters are very vocal...and vicious. 

37 minutes ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

Shame they didn't do so a long time ago. God knows how many mistruths have been told through it and picked up by his followers.

Thing is before retaliation was something they would have to be worried about. Even when wrong and breaking the rules Trump could have done something with his presidential powers. Now its sure that this loser (ellection) will be gone soon they have the balls to do so.

I see he's stated, as I predicted, that he will NOT be attending the Inauguration. Double or nothing on Melania ditching him within 2 years.

 

LOSER

A 70 something year old has had his social media use curbed. 
 

Really?
 

Time for people to grow up. 
 

what do the grown up leaders like Putin and Xi think of this childish carry on? 

Just now, Psimbo said:

Double or nothing on Melania ditching him within 2 years.

 

She ditched him a few years ago, choosing to live with her family in Maryland.

 

She is said to have made a more favorable "agreement" in return for campaigning in 2020.

 

Other than his remora-like family, no one will be sticking with him.

 

 

 

 

Oh the mother of all tantrums poor Donald must be beside himself in rage how else can he play the victim his thumbs may fall off oh dear they have also restricted his access to the nuclear (foot ball)imo he has been neutered 

1 minute ago, Natai Beach said:

A 70 something year old has had his social media use curbed. 
 

Really?
 

Time for people to grow up. 
 

what do the grown up leaders like Putin and Xi think of this childish carry on? 

If some  "people" were truly grown up, the widespread belief in a stolen election and the rally in Washington would be non-existant. 

10 minutes ago, Natai Beach said:

A 70 something year old has had his social media use curbed. 
 

Really?
 

Time for people to grow up. 
 

what do the grown up leaders like Putin and Xi think of this childish carry on? 

I’m sure Putin is delighted.

Here's Twitter's official statement:

 

After close review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them — specifically how they are being received and interpreted on and off Twitter — we have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence. 

 

https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2020/suspension.html

 

9 minutes ago, Tug said:

Oh the mother of all tantrums poor Donald must be beside himself in rage how else can he play the victim his thumbs may fall off oh dear they have also restricted his access to the nuclear (foot ball)imo he has been neutered 

I prefer the word castrated..

41 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

I don't agree.  Trump is still head of the GOP and has millions of clueless followers who treat him like an idol.  He's not going away any time soon.  Sadly.

 

Great article to read, explains a lot.

 

https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/01/09/the-terrible-scenes-on-capitol-hill-illustrate-how-donald-trump-has-changed-his-party

 

Did you tell the people who are the co chairs of the  GOP? 

Chairwoman - Ronna McDaniel          Co-Chair- Thomas Hicks Jr.

 

A trolling graphic has been removed.  Continue and face a suspension. 

4 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

 

Did you tell the people who are the co chairs of the  GOP? 

Chairwoman - Ronna McDaniel          Co-Chair- Thomas Hicks Jr.

 

Trump is the head of the GOP.  No denying that.  Hopefully, they get control back and restore the party to what it was 30 years ago.  Traditionally conservative, ala William F. Buckley.

It's very hard to find where he incites violence though...

This will surely help with "unity".