Trump is Back on YouTube and Facebook
Former US president Donald Trump, Friday (17/3), re-emerged on YouTube and Facebook accounts after two years of being banned. Trump previously used these two platforms for his political interests before finally being banned after his followers attacked Congress on January 6, 2021.
Trump posted “I’M BACK!” on his Facebook account and YouTube channel. He uploaded a CNN video announcing Trump’s victory as president in the 2016 election against Hillary Clinton. Then the show faded to ‘Trump 2024’.
“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Trump said in the video.
YouTube, a platform owned by Alphabet Inc, decided to restore Trump’s previous account on Friday (17/3). Platform Meta also reactivated Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts earlier this year.
Former President Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC 2023, March 4, 2023. (Photo: AP)
His Twitter account was also reinstated in November by the platform’s new owner Elon Musk. But until now Trump has not uploaded anything on Twitter.
Trump used the social media platform as a vehicle for his 2016 presidential campaign. Trump’s appearance on the platform will make it easier for him to raise political funds. Of the three major technology platforms, Trump will have a total of 146 million followers when he runs for president again in 2024.
“We are carefully evaluating the continued risk of real-world violence, while balancing the opportunity for voters to hear equally from major national candidates ahead of the election,” YouTube tweeted, referring to its move to reinstate Trump’s account.
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
A spokesperson for his campaign told Fox News Digital in January that Trump’s return to Facebook “will be an important tool in the 2024 campaign to reach voters.”
The former president founded his own social media platform called Truth Social in late 2021, which he has relied on to communicate with supporters during his ban on Twitter and Meta.
YouTube blocked Trump in 2021 for violating its policy against inciting violence after his supporters stormed the US Capitol as Congress certified Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 Presidential Election.
A number of groups disapproved of Trump’s return on the social media platform considering he has nearly 5 million followers on his personal platform, Truth Social. That, they said, proved Trump still shared the same risks that resulted in his blocking. [ah/ft]
