Twitter permanently suspends Trump’s account

Twitter has permanently suspended the account of United States President Donald Trump due to the “risk of further violence.”

“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,” Twitter said in a blog post.

Multiple social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Snapchat had taken action against Trump’s account after Trump supporters stormed US Capitol Hill on Wednesday.

Dozens of pro-Trump protestors had swarmed the US Capitol on Wednesday, disrupting a session to certify the results of the US Presidential elections and calling on lawmakers to undo Trump’s loss, as per media reports.

Twitter had locked his account for 12 hours.

“Future violations of the Twitter Rules, including our Civic Integrity or Violent Threats policies, will result in permanent suspension of the @realDonaldTrump account,” it had said on Wednesday.

The ban was lifted after 12 hours. However, on January 8, Thursday, Trump tweeted, “The 75,000,000 great American Patriots who voted for me, AMERICA FIRST, and MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, will have a GIANT VOICE long into the future. They will not be disrespected or treated unfairly in any way, shape or form!!!”

Shortly thereafter, he tweeted, “To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th.”

The assessment of these tweets that were sent after the 12-hour ban was lifted has contributed to Twitter’s decision to permanently suspend Trump’s account, Twitter said.

“In the context of horrific events this week, we made it clear on Wednesday that additional violations of the Twitter Rules would potentially result in this very course of action,” it said.

Facebook and Instagram had locked Trump’s account for 24 hours on Wednesday. Following which, the social media major had announced that these accounts would be blocked indefinitely and for at least until the next two weeks.

“We believe the risks of allowing the President to continue to use our service during this period are simply too great. Therefore, we are extending the block we have placed on his Facebook and Instagram accounts indefinitely and for at least the next two weeks until the peaceful transition of power is complete,” Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday.