President Trump was permanently suspended from Twitter Friday. In the announcement, the company cited “the risk of further incitement of violence” and the president’s past transgressions on the platform.
“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,” Twitter wrote. “… We made it clear going back years that these accounts are not above our rules and cannot use Twitter to incite violence.”On Wednesday Twitter suspended President Trump’s account until he deleted three tweets that the platform flagged as violating its rules. Trump’s account was set to reactivate 12 hours after those deletions, and he returned to the platform on Thursday night with a video in which he appeared to concede his election loss for the first time. Trump crossed a line with Twitter when he failed to condemn a group of his supporters who staged a violent riot at the Capitol building while Congress met to certify the election results. In one tweet, Trump shared a video in which he gently encouraged the group to return home, while reassuring his agitated followers that he loved them and that they were “special.” At that time, Twitter said that Trump’s tweets contained “repeated and severe violations” of its policy on civic integrity and threatened that any future violations would result in “permanent suspension” of the president’s account.
Wednesday, January 6:- 1 PM ET: Trump wraps up a rally near the White House protesting the legitimate election results. During the event he urges attendees to march toward Congress.
- 2:15 PM: Trump supporters breach the interior of the Capitol building.
- 4:15 PM: Trump tweets a video gently telling rioters that they need to go home and “we love you.”
- 5 PM: Twitter places a large warning label on the video.
- 6 PM: Trump tweets again, failing to denounce the violence and urging his supporters to “Remember this day forever!”
- 7 PM: Twitter locks Trump out his account until he deletes three tweets and waits for a 12 hour period.
- Trump’s account reinstated. In a video shared to Twitter, the president for the first time personally denounces the “heinous attack” and makes what sounds like a concession speech.
- 9:45 AM: Trump tweets again with a less conciliatory tone, declaring that anyone who voted for him will “not be treated unfairly in any way, shape or form!!!”
- 10:45 AM: Trump tweets that he will not attend President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.
- 6:20 PM: Twitter announces that @realDonaldTrump is suspended permanently.