Meta announced that former President Donald Trump, as the Republican Party nominee, will no longer face heightened suspension penalties on Facebook and Instagram.
Trump’s accounts were suspended indefinitely following the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, where it was determined he had praised individuals engaged in violence. In February 2023, his accounts were reinstated with a threat of penalties for future violations, a restriction Meta lifted on Friday.
“In assessing our responsibility to allow political expression, we believe that the American people should be able to hear from the nominees for President on the same basis,” Meta stated in a blog post. However, Meta clarified that US presidential candidates remain subject to the same Community Standards as all users, including policies preventing hate speech and incitement to violence.
Trump, the first former president to be convicted of a crime, was also banned from Twitter and YouTube, though those restrictions were lifted last year. He primarily communicates on his own platform, Truth Social, but his Facebook profile, which has 34 million followers, features messages from Truth Social, rally invitations, and campaign videos.
