DONALD TRUMP Published December 11, 2022 3:00am EST
Twitter Files reveal Trump ban came after Michelle Obama, others pressured the company
Journalist Michael Shellenberger reported Twitter faced 'internal and external pressure,' before banning Trump on Jan. 8
By Lawrence Richard | Fox News
Twitter must be ‘held accountable’ for what they prohibit on their platform: Rep. John Garamendi
Former President Donald Trump was banned from Twitter the day after former first lady Michelle Obama and others demanded the company "permanently" remove him, according to the newest "Twitter Files" installment.
On Saturday, CEO Elon Musk and journalist Michael Shellenberger released the fourth batch of Twitter documents that show internal communications by the company’s executives between Jan. 6-8, 2021, including and shortly after the riot at the Capitol Building.
Among the files, Shellenberger reported "internal and external pressure," including from the former first lady, fell onto the company calling for Trump to be banned from using Twitter.
"Now is the time for Silicon Valley companies to stop enabling this monstrous behavior—and go even further than they have already by permanently banning this man from their platforms and putting in place policies to prevent their technologies from being used by the nation’s leaders to fuel insurrection," Obama wrote in a lengthy statement posted to Twitter on Jan. 7.
She added: "And if we have any hope of improving this nation, now is the time for swift and serious consequences for the failure of leadership that led to yesterday’s shame."
In addition to the former first lady, the Anti-Defamation League, among several other prominent people and organizations called for Trump's ban.
On the morning of Jan. 7, then-Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey wrote an email to employees instructing them, as Shellenberger wrote: "to remain consistent in its policies, including the right of users to return to Twitter after a temporary suspension."
Trump was serving a suspension on the platform at the time.
TWITTER FILES REVEAL 'JUNIOR EMPLOYEE' STOOD AGAINST TRUMP BAN, WARNED OF 'SLIPPERY SLOPE'
The files also showed Twitter maintained a policy — called "Public-interest exceptions" — where elected officials were not banned as there was a great public interest in their comments, even if they seemed to violate other policies.
While Trump's temporary suspension was lifted, this second policy was specifically and intentionally ignored in Trump’s case, Shellenberger reported. Dorsey was also on vacation at the time of Trump’s ban.
"Dorsey was on vacation in French Polynesia the week of January 4-8, 2021," Shellenberger reported. The chief executive delegated much of the responsibility to senior executives, including former Twitter Head of Trust and Safety Yoel Roth and former Head of Legal, Policy, & Trust Vijaya Gadde, who Shellenberger points out were "overwhelmingly progressive."
"In 2018, 2020, and 2022, 96%, 98%, & 99% of Twitter staff's political donations went to Democrats," Shellenberger reported.
ELON MUSK SAYS ‘ELECTION INTERFERENCE’ BY SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES ‘IS WRONG,’ UNDERMINES DEMOCRACY
Shellenberger also reported: "In 2017, Roth tweeted that there were ‘ACTUAL NAZIS IN THE WHITE HOUSE.’"
"Twitter employees recognize the difference between their own politics & Twitter's Terms of Service (TOS), but they also engage in complex interpretations of content in order to stamp out prohibited tweets," Shellenberger also pointed out.
A day after Dorsey’s email, Trump was permanently suspended for how his posts were being "received and interpreted."
After Musk purchased Twitter and took over as its chief executive, Trump’s access to the platform was restored. Trump has yet to resume control of his account, however, and has previously told Fox News Digital that he intends to remain on his social media platform, Truth Social.
What is the biggest thing Trump did for us? He taught us to question the truth of everything the government tells us. We have seen proof of the validity of this policy, every day, for 6 years now. Our founders would be proud. They constantly taught us to not trust the government. It is the largest institution of those who lust for power. Even yet, many do not understand this obvious fact.
the people who serve in washington were to do so at the expense of their livelihoods for a limited period of time. lifelong politicians represent their donors only, not the people they purport to represent
"If there be time to expose through discussion the falsehood and fallacies, to avert the evil by the processes of education, the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence."
(Supreme Court justice Louis Brandeis)
Donald Trump understood the needs of true Americans whether it be food supplies, entertainment (The Apprentice), matters of national security, adherence to the Constitution and sound economic principles (balanced budgets). Everything he did he did for Americans because he’s a true patriot and selfl...See more
Even better if indictments come forward, people’s careers and reputations get ruined, and a few people off themselves in shame. Before someone gets them.
The activists at Twitter worked against Trump throughout the whole of to 2020 campaign and are directly responsible for rigging said election. Banning Trump after was simply the logical conclusion in their desperate need to somehow cancel Trump. Now we have the Truth, in more ways than one.
We have the truth thanks to Elon Musk
Well said. Donald Trump understood the needs of true Americans whether it be food supplies, entertainment (The Apprentice), matters of national security, adherence to the Constitution and sound economic principles (balanced budgets). Everything he did he did for Americans because he’s a true patrio...See more
This all means nothing unless there is punishment for those involved. The people of the US are being taken advantage of by their government. Free speech and fair elections are nothing more than an illusion. It’s time we take back our country.
I'm not sure there's any criminal activity that they can be charged with.
However, President Trump may be able to hit the perps with enormous financial damages, such as Defamation of Character, etc. A lawyer, which I'm not, could probably fill a couple of pages with a list of damages. It would warm my heart to see the top of the communist pyramid paying multi-billion dollar damages.
That’s what I’ve been saying, now why are we sitting on our hands? Biden and his “corruption army” continue to destroy our country and we just standby and let him do it?
We do, and the Republicans are as Guilty for doing nothing about it!
Twitter is coming clean because they were acquired by Musk. However, many other social media outlets, our entertainment industry, most news outlets, and most of our education system continue to do the bidding of the Democrats to this day. Twitter is just the tip of the iceberg.
Ms Obama you have forgotten the suspicious behavior of the speaker of the house. Do tell us Ms Obama why Pelosi recused herself from testifying. I have an idea that it was democrats who planned this otherwise those that have noting to hide would not be hiding would they. Pelosi had a greater role t...See more
Don’t forget, Michael’s husband and Biden were caught spying on Trump before he took office.
Still amazing to see people still post based upon political affiliation. Forget Trump, election outcome, patriots or not - look at what happened. People of one party swayed media, public corporations, etc. to alter policies and go after people of opposing parties. If this is to stand as being ok, then the next occasion can be initiated from another source. This is gutting the First Amendement - with no free press and no debate which leads to tyranny. A divided nation will fail. The First Amendment is first because it is the most important to the Republic. The Second Amendment is needed to protect the First Amendment - the founding fathers were very astute and thoughtful in their deliberations.
Even though the Republicans have no means to force anyone to testify truthfully, there is value in making public the written communication that occurred. These people were supremely confident that their left-wing tech friends would never, ever make the records public. Thank you Elon Musk.
Private companies are allowed to censor information, but when acting at behest of the government, under pressure from government actors, or being outright told by the government to censor free speech, this is a violation of the First Amendment. Moreover, it is a signal to every American that the government needs to be reined in before it wraps those reins around the throats of dissent.
what are the names of the Goverment officials who told twitter to censor free speech ? asking for a friend..
