Trump to remain banned from Facebook for two years
WASHINGTON: Facebook on Friday suspended former US president Donald Trump from its platform until at least January 2023, citing the “gravity of the circumstances” that had led to his initial suspension in the aftermath of the January 6 storming of the US Capitol by his supporters.
Facebook had also suspended Trump’s Instagram account at that time. Twitter, the other social media platform that Trump used to great effect in projecting himself and his views, has removed his account permanently.
“Facebook’s ruling is an insult to the record-setting 75mn people, plus many others, who voted for us in the 2020 rigged presidential election,” Trump said in a statement, repeating his earlier claim that the election was rigged. “They shouldn’t be allowed to get away with this censoring and silencing, and ultimately, we will win. Our country can’t take this abuse anymore!”
Announcing the extension of the ban, Facebook’s vice-president of global affairs Nick Clegg said, “Given the gravity of the circumstances that led to Mr. Trump’s suspension, we believe his actions constituted a severe violation of our rules which merit the highest penalty available under the new enforcement protocols.”
Clegg added, “We are suspending his accounts for two years, effective from the date of the initial suspension on January 7 this year.” Trump’s account will remain suspended until January 7, 2023.
After January 2023, Facebook will ask experts to assess whether the risk to public safety has receded.
Facebook’s oversight board, comprising outside legal experts picked by the social media platform, had upheld the suspension of Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts, but had criticised the open-ended nature of the punitive action.
On January 6 this year, a huge mob of Trump supporters had stormed the US Capitol to prevent a joint session of Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s election win.
Trump was later impeached for inciting the insurrection.