Meta to Restore Trump’s Account Access

Meta announced on Friday that it will lift the restrictions on former President Donald Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts ahead of the upcoming Republican National Convention. The decision aims to ensure that Trump, the expected Republican nominee for president, has the same platform access as Democratic President Joe Biden.

Meta stated, “In considering our duty to facilitate political expression, we believe that the American public should hear from the presidential nominees on an equal footing.” Consequently, Trump, as the Republican Party nominee, will no longer face the enhanced suspension penalties.

Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts were reinstated in early 2023 after a two-year suspension following the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection. At that time, Meta had implemented additional safeguards on his accounts to prevent future violations.

Meta had previously stated in January 2023, “If Mr. Trump posts any content that violates our policies, it will be removed, and he could face suspensions ranging from one month to two years, depending on the severity of the violation.”

As of Friday, Meta reported that these penalties had not been necessary.

After his suspension from major social media platforms, Trump launched his own platform, Truth Social, in 2022.