Trump’s accounts were initially suspended indefinitely shortly after the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, following determinations that he had used social media to praise those involved in the violence. After reinstating his accounts in February 2023, Meta had kept in place heightened penalties for future breaches, which have now been lifted.
“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.
Despite the lifting of restrictions, Meta clarified that US presidential candidates, including Trump, will continue to be held to the same Community Standards as all Facebook and Instagram users, including policies aimed at preventing hate speech and incitement to violence.
Trump, the first former US president to face criminal conviction, had also been banned from Twitter and YouTube, with those restrictions later being lifted last year. Currently, Trump primarily communicates through his own social media platform, Truth Social, where his Facebook profile, boasting 34 million users, features content originally shared on Truth Social, as well as announcements for rallies and campaign videos.
