Trump's Facebook and Instagram Accounts Restored... Comeback After 2 Years

Former U.S. President Donald Trump
[Photo by AP News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, announced on the 9th (local time) that it has restored former U.S. President Donald Trump's social media accounts after two years.

Meta spokesperson Andy Stone stated to major foreign media on the same day, "We have restored access to former President Trump's Facebook and Instagram accounts."

Trump's Instagram and Facebook accounts have 23 million and 34 million followers respectively. These accounts have been indefinitely suspended since the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Twitter also permanently banned Trump's account on the same day, but the account was restored shortly after Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, acquired Twitter last November. However, Meta said it will revisit the issue of permanent suspension within two years.

After reconsideration in January, Meta announced its plan to restore Trump's accounts through its company blog. Nick Clegg, Meta's spokesperson, explained the reason for restoring the accounts, saying, "We do not want to interfere with open and democratic debate on the platform." He added, "In democratic societies like the United States, the public should be able to hear all statements from politicians, both good and bad, so they can make informed voting decisions."

However, Clegg warned of stricter penalties, stating that posts will be removed if (former President Trump) violates the newly revised user guidelines.

With the restoration of Twitter and Instagram accounts, Trump's social media activities are expected to become more active. Major foreign media outlets anticipate that Trump, who has declared his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election, will actively use social media as a means of political fundraising. Trump is also known for extensively using Twitter and Facebook instead of costly TV advertisements during his 2016 presidential campaign.

Meanwhile, after his social media accounts were consecutively suspended, Trump created a separate social media platform called "Truth Social" in February last year.