Former President Donald Trump’s Access to Facebook and Instagram Accounts Restored After Two-Year Suspension

Former President Donald Trump’s access to his Facebook and Instagram accounts has been restored after a two-year suspension, according to a spokesperson from Meta. The suspension was imposed by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Jan. 7, 2021, after Trump encouraged his followers to mount an assault on the U.S. Capitol over baseless lies about the 2020 election.

The company said in late January that it would reinstate his accounts “in the coming weeks.” On Thursday, the company confirmed that Trump’s accounts had been restored, allowing him to broadcast his views and promote his 2024 election bid to millions of followers.

Meta has installed guardrails on Trump’s account that could result in it being suspended again if he breaks the company’s rules. The company has not revealed what these guardrails are, but it is likely that the company will take a zero-tolerance approach to any violations of its policies.

The decision to restore Trump’s access to his accounts has been met with mixed reactions. Some have praised the move as a sign of the company’s commitment to free speech, while others have criticized it as a dangerous move that could lead to further incitement of violence.

Regardless of the opinion, the decision to restore Trump’s access to his accounts is a significant one, and it will be interesting to see how the former president uses his newfound access. It remains to be seen whether he will use his accounts to spread misinformation or to promote his 2024 election bid.