Twitter says it has no plans to reinstate former President Donald Trump’s permanently suspended account, according to a new report.
After the world’s richest man Elon Musk became the top shareholder of Twitter and vowed to “make significant improvements,” some conservatives are urging him to restore Trump’s account on the social media platform.
“Twitter is committed to impartiality in the development and enforcement of its policies and rules,” the company told DailyMail.com on Tuesday. “Our policy decisions are not determined by the Board or shareholders, and we have no plans to reverse any policy decisions. As always our Board plays an important advisory and feedback role across the entirety of our service. Our day to day operations and decisions are made by Twitter management and employees,” the company added.
Musk snapped up 73.5 million shares of Twitter stock for about $3 billion, according to a recent filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He now holds a 9.2% stake, higher than any other shareholder.
Just a week ago, Musk took to Twitter to rip the platform for failing to protect free speech.
“Given that Twitter serves as the de facto public town square, failing to adhere to free speech principles fundamentally undermines democracy,” Musk tweeted. “What should be done?”
Later, he added: “Is a new platform needed?”
Some conservatives applauded Musk’s move.
“Now that @ElonMusk is Twitter’s largest shareholder, it’s time to lift the political censorship. Oh… and BRING BACK TRUMP!” tweeted Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO).
“Will the new majority shareholder return freedom of speech to Twitter?” wrote Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). “It will require courage [because] the regime is heavily investing in a certain industry and threats will undoubtedly come. Yet the freedom of speech restored will enable us all to defeat them.”
Errol Webber, a Republican congressional candidate in California, said he hoped Twitter would now be able to return to its “former glory” by “bringing back President Trump” and doing away with “all forms of political and other censorship.”
Monica Crowley, a political commentator who served in the Trump administration, tweeted that Musk should use his new-found leverage to “demand the end of political censorship, company-wide reform, and the reinstatement of President Trump.”
“Twitter used to be an open field of free thought,” Pete Hegseth said on “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday. “Now the blue checkmarks like groupthink leftists police that thought and the corporate types at Twitter have been happy to enforce it.”
Hegseth added: “They pushed off Donald Trump. They pushed off a lot of conservatives. If he were to open that up, it opens up the conversation in America.”
Meanwhile, independent investigative journalist Glenn Greenwald goofed on CNN’s Brian Stelter, who said liberals “fear” Musk taking over Twitter.
“Dems & liberal activists groups have spent years co-opting the censorship power of tech billionaires and expressing gratitude to Google and FB execs for censoring their enemies off the internet,” Greenwald tweeted. “Now they’re petrified a billionaire who won’t censor for them may take over Twitter.”
Joseph Curl has covered politics for 35 years, including 12 years as White House correspondent, and ran the Drudge Report from 2010 to 2015. Send tips to [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @josephcurl.