Twitter permanently suspends Trump ‘due to the risk of further incitement of violence’

Twitter has permanently suspended President Donald Trump’s account after his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol this week.

The social media platform announced the suspension Friday night, saying the decision was based on the risk Trump could incite more violence as his presidential term nears an end.

“After close review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them — specifically how they are being received and interpreted on and off Twitter — we have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence,” Twitter said in a statement. “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 cited two tweets on Friday as basis for the suspension. In the first tweet, Trump said 75 million Americans voted for him and will have a “GIANT VOICE long into the future.” In the second, Trump said he will not attend the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden.

Twitter said the tweets violated a policy against the “glorification of violence.”

“Due to the ongoing tensions in the United States, and an uptick in the global conversation in regards to the people who violently stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, these two Tweets must be read in the context of broader events in the country and the ways in which the President’s statements can be mobilized by different audiences, including to incite violence, as well as in the context of the pattern of behavior from this account in recent weeks,” Twitter said.

The social media platform locked Trump’s account for at least 12 hours on Wednesday after the president’s supporters breached the Capitol while Congress was certifying Biden as the election winner. Five people died after the attack, including a U.S. Capitol Police officer.

Twitter cited three tweets, including a video, that violated its rules against misinformation on the election.

After the suspension was lifted, Trump posted a video Thursday acknowledging a new presidential administration and promising a “smooth” transition of power.

However, the president’s return to Twitter lasted only a day.

The social media platform said Trump’s tweet stating he will not attend the inauguration is seen by his supporters as “further confirmation that the election was not legitimate and is seen as him disavowing his previous claim” that there will be an orderly transition of power.

“The second tweet may also serve as encouragement to those potentially considering violent acts that the inauguration would be a ’safe’ target, as he will not be attending,” Twitter said.

Additionally, Twitter said Trump calling supporters “American Patriots” could signal support for those attacking the Capitol and stating “they will not be disrespected or treated unfairly in any way, shape or form!!!” could signal the president doesn’t intend on facilitating an “orderly transition.”

“As such, our determination is that the two Tweets above are likely to inspire others to replicate the violent acts that took place on January 6, 2021, and that there are multiple indicators that they are being received and understood as encouragement to do so,” Twitter said.

Twitter also banned the accounts of some high-profile Trump supporters on Friday. It removed accounts of former Lt. Michael Flynn; Sidney Powell, the Trump lawyer who sought to overturn the election; and others who promoted conspiracy theories by QAnon, NBC News reported.

“The accounts have been suspended in line with our policy on Coordinated Harmful Activity,” a spokesperson told NBC News. “We’ve been clear that we will take strong enforcement action on behavior that has the potential to lead to offline harm, and given the renewed potential for violence surrounding this type of behavior in the coming days, we will permanently suspend accounts that are solely dedicated to sharing QAnon content.”

This story was originally published January 8, 2021 at 6:45 PM.