Meta lifts restrictions on Trump Facebook and Instagram accounts
World
Former president likens VP selection to ‘The Apprentice’ ahead of pre-convention rally
SAN FRANCISCO (AFP/AP) – Meta said Friday it was lifting restrictions on US presidential candidate Donald Trump's Facebook and Instagram accounts, ending measures put in place after his supporters violently stormed the US Capitol in 2021.
It said that "former President Trump, as the nominee of the Republican Party, will no longer be subject to the heightened suspension penalties."
Trump's Facebook and Instagram accounts were suspended indefinitely a day after his supporters attacked the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, and it was determined he had praised people engaged in violence on social media.
His accounts were reinstated in February 2023 but with a threat of penalties for future breaches – an additional restriction that 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 wrote in a blog post.
It added that US presidential candidates "remain subject to the same Community Standards as all Facebook and Instagram users, including those policies designed to prevent hate speech and incitement to violence."
Trump, the first former president to be convicted of a crime, was also banned from Twitter and YouTube.
While those restrictions were later lifted last year, Trump now mainly communicates on his own social media platform, Truth Social.
His Facebook profile, which has 34 million users, includes messages originally published on Truth Social as well as invitations to rallies and videos from his campaign.
THE APPRENTICE
Trump compared his upcoming vice-presidential announcement to a “sophisticated version” of his former TV show, “The Apprentice” as the Republican candidate drummed up the suspense ahead of a rally Saturday in Pennsylvania. The running mate hype comes days before the Republican National Convention begins in Milwaukee next week.
Trump will have one last chance Saturday to unveil his vice-presidential pick on a rally stage before the Republican National Convention kicks off in Milwaukee next week.
His rally in western Pennsylvania, at the Butler Farm Show just outside Pittsburgh, comes as the former reality TV star and tabloid hound continues to tease his pick, working to drum up maximum attention and hype.
With President Joe Biden's re-election campaign and the Democratic Party engulfed in crisis over a dismal debate performance that has sparked calls for him to step aside, Trump has been keeping mostly out of the spotlight, making only a few public appearances over the last two weeks.
But that hasn't stopped him from feeding speculation.
“It’s like a highly sophisticated version of ‘The Apprentice,’” he said in a radio interview Friday afternoon, referring to the show he once hosted that featured him firing contestants on camera.
Trump has made clear in recent days that his preference is to dramatically reveal his pick live at the convention — something the ratings-obsessed former president has said would make the proceedings more “interesting” and “exciting.”
“I’d love to do it during the convention ... or just slightly before the convention, like Monday,” he said in an interview Friday on “The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show.”
At a rally Tuesday night at his Doral golf club, he at one point marveled at the number of reporters in attendance.
“I think they probably think I’m going to be announcing that Marco is going to be vice president,” he said of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a top contender, who was sitting in the front row.
But none of the men who are considered Trump's top contenders — Vance, Rubio and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum — are expected to attend the rally, according to two people familiar with the schedule who, like others, spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the plans.
Trump has repeatedly acknowledged the challenges of waiting until the last possible moment, saying, “it makes it easier" to break the news ahead of time. But he has also spoken wistfully of the “old days" and the attention a grand unveiling would bring.
There are logistical challenges that come with a late announcement. The future pick will need to deliver the most important speech of their career at the convention Wednesday night as they accept the party's nomination. They'll also need to clear their schedule for rallies, events and debate preparations.
The crisis embroiling Democrats has given Trump little incentive to announce his pick early since it would inevitably draw attention away from Biden.
He also suggested the possibility of Biden being replaced had weighed on his thinking. “A little bit, you know, we wanted to see what they’re doing, to be honest. Because, you know, it might make a difference,” he said in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity earlier this week.
Trump has offered conflicting answers since the primaries on whether he has made up his mind, but said Friday he had four or five top contenders.
"I have some really, really good candidates. And you know, I may be leaning one way and that changing sometimes — you know all of a sudden you see something that you like or you don’t like and you lean a little bit differently ... but we have a very good bench," he said.
