Elon Musk has restored Donald Trump’s Twitter account
The new head of “Twitter” Elon Musk on Saturday restored the account of former US President Donald Trump, which was banned on the social network after the attack on the Capitol Hill in Washington in January 2021. “The people have spoken. Trump will be reinstated,” the whimsical entrepreneur tweeted on his account after the results of a survey launched among his subscribers.
Fifteen million “voters”
More than fifteen million people responded to the Republican politician’s return to the platform, and 51.8% voted yes. Minutes after Elon Musk’s message, Donald Trump’s account reappeared, with the last tweet dated January 8, 2021.
The new head of “Twitter” Elon Musk on Saturday restored the account of former US President Donald Trump, which was banned on the social network after the attack on the Capitol Hill in Washington in January 2021.
After the results of the survey among his subscribers, the whimsical entrepreneur wrote in his tweet, “The people have spoken. Trump will be restored.” More than fifteen million people responded to the Republican politician’s return to the platform, and 51.8% voted yes.
Account minutes after Elon Musk’s message Donald Trump’s last tweet from January 8, 2021 resurfaced. The number of subscribers increased to 3 million in less than two hours, and then sharply decreased. The former president has 4.57 million followers on the social network he created after his ouster from Twitter.
The multi-billionaire owner of Tesla and SpaceX, who has been the head of the social network for three weeks, suggested at the launch of the poll on Friday evening that its outcome could influence the decision on whether the former chief will return. He announced this on Twitter with the message “Vox Populi, Vox Dei” (The voice of the people is the voice of God). In the name of free speech, it has already reinstated several suspended user accounts on Friday.
Shortly after the $44 billion acquisition of the platform was finalized at the end of October, the leader assured that no major decisions regarding account content or reactivation would be made without the intervention of a special board. The gesture is aimed, among other things, at reassuring advertisers, the group’s main source of income. He did not publicly say whether this council was created or not.
Trump remains on Truth Social
Twitter banned Donald Trump on January 8, 2021, two days after supporters stormed the Capitol and “risked further inciting violence.” Elon Musk, who believes that this sanction is a “morally bad and extremely crazy decision”, talked about the possible return of the former Republican president to the platform in May. Although many associations, authorities and advertisers fear that the content is no longer sufficiently moderated on the social network, giving rise to misinformation, harassment and other abuses, the businessman’s turn on the subject was expected.
Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP civil rights organization, responded on Twitter, asserting that Elon Musk’s followers “do not represent America,” and responded, “You are betraying our democracy.”
You are destroying our democracy.
Your garbage request means nothing. Did people outside the US vote? Have you reached out to marginalized communities targeted by Trump’s rhetoric? Your audience does not represent America.
God help us all if this is how you run Twitter. https://t.co/v8DsB9vtza
—Derrick Johnson (@DerrickNAACP) November 20, 2022
Donald Trump’s account recovery is expected to make waves in American society and politics, especially as he re-enters the race for the White House in 2024. Donald Trump, who is happy that Twitter is in “steady hands” with Elon Musk, said in recent days that he would stay on the Truth social network, even if this platform offered him only a small sounding board compared to Twitter, which has more than 88 million subscribers.
During a video intervention at a Republican Jewish Coalition rally in Las Vegas on Saturday, Republican nominee and Elon Musk welcomed the initiative. “I like him (…). You know, he’s a hellish character and I like holy characters,” he said. But now he has his own network, he argued later.
On Truth Social, he encouraged his subscribers to “vote with positivity” before adding: “But don’t worry, we’re not going anywhere. Truth Social is special.” The decision to bring Donald Trump back to Twitter will in any case cause a little more turmoil within the company, which has been heavily shaken since its takeover by Elon Musk. He left his mark by firing key leaders of the group on his first day before launching a major social plan.
Controversial features were launched before being delayed and advertisers were leaked. And this week, several hundred employees said no to the new owner’s ultimatum to work tirelessly to “build the revolutionary Twitter 2.0.” On the other hand, it was welcomed by its political allies, especially in Congress.
Rep. Paul Gosar, a Republican, said, “Welcome back!” He wrote on his Twitter account. Marjorie Taylor Greene, another Republican congressman who is a strong supporter of the former president, tweeted: “Anyone who thinks President Trump won’t win the 2024 primaries will be blindsided.” On the other hand, Republican Liz Cheney, who has become a sworn enemy of Donald Trump, reacted to the news by referring her Twitter followers to a video showing one of the hearings of the investigative commission launched after the attack on the Capitol. on January 6, 2021, which he co-chaired.
“Great time to watch this hearing on January 6th as Trump is back on Twitter,” he tweeted. “This applies to every one of Trump’s tweets, including those that have been deleted, and shows that many White House officials described his inexcusable behavior during this violence,” he said.
