By Habeeb Ibrahim
Meta announced on Friday that it has lifted restrictions on U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts, ending measures imposed after the violent storming of the U.S. Capitol by his supporters in January 2021.
The company stated that “former President Trump, as the nominee of the Republican Party, will no longer be subject to the heightened suspension penalties.”
Trump’s accounts were suspended indefinitely following the Capitol attack, during which it was determined that he had praised individuals engaging in violence on social media.
These accounts were reinstated in February 2023, with the threat of penalties for future violations—restrictions 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.
The company added that U.S. 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 these restrictions were lifted last year, Trump primarily communicates through his own social media platform, Truth Social.
His Facebook profile, which has 34 million followers, features messages originally published on Truth Social, invitations to rallies, and campaign videos.
