Former President Trump lashed out at Facebook over its decision Friday to suspend his account until at least 2023, calling it an “insult.”
“They shouldn’t be allowed to get away with this censoring and silencing, and ultimately, we will win. Our Country can’t take this abuse anymore!” Trump said in a statement released by his Save America PAC.
The former president blasted the tech giant’s move while repeating his false claims that the 2020 election was “rigged,” claims that social media platforms have repeatedly condemned.
“Facebook’s ruling is an insult to the record-setting 75M people, plus many others, who voted for us in the 2020 Rigged Presidential Election,” Trump said.
Facebook announced Friday that Trump would be suspended for two years, until Jan. 7, 2023, and will then be subject to another review to evaluate the “risk to public safety.”
“Of course, this penalty only applies to our services — Mr. Trump is and will remain free to express himself publicly via other means,” Facebook said.
Trump was kicked off Facebook and other social media platforms following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, in which a swarm of his supporters breached the Capitol in an attempt to block Congress from certifying President Biden’s electoral win.
“We know that any penalty we apply — or choose not to apply — will be controversial,” Facebook’s Nick Clegg said Friday. “We know today’s decision will be criticized by many people on opposing sides of the political divide — but our job is to make a decision in as proportionate, fair and transparent a way as possible, in keeping with the instruction given to us by the Oversight Board.”
The former president started a blog to share statements and communicate with his supporters after being banned by several social media platforms, though the page was recently shut down.