Trump Launches ‘Communications’ Website
Banned from social media for instigating US Capitol riot, Trump launches ‘straight from the desk’ website to publish his content
Donald Trump has launched a website to publish content ‘straight from the desk’ of the former president of the United States.
The new ‘communications’ website, found here, essentially publishes Trump’s thoughts on daily issues, much like he did on Twitter.
Donald Trump had been widely condemned for his role in inciting a mob of his supporters to storm the US Capitol building on Wednesday 6 January, which resulted in the deaths of five people (including one police officer who was beaten to death).
Trump banned
In the immediate aftermath, Facebook banned Trump for 24 hours, but as the full scale of the attempted insurrection became clear, it then suspended his accounts indefinitely.
YouTube and Twitter also initially banned Trump for a limited period of time, but Twitter then opted to permanently ban Trump from its platform.
YouTube suspended Trump’s account indefinitely.
On 21 January Facebook referred its decision to indefinitely suspend Trump’s accounts to its independent Oversight Board.
In February it was confirmed the Oversight Board would make a final ruling on the ‘indefinite’ ban of Trump on Facebook and Instagram.
Communications website
Since his banning from social media outlets, the former president has had to issue his statements via press releases, which the new website will now also host.
Users will be able to like Trump’s posts, but crucially for Trump and his team, his supporters will also be share his statements on their Twitter and Facebook accounts.
A quick glance at Trump’s website shows that the former president continues to protest at the supposed “rigged” Presidential election, as well attack his opponents.
The creation of the Trump website comes just before the expected ruling from Facebook’s Oversight Board on whether to permanently ban Trump. A decision is expected Wednesday afternoon.
If Trump’s appeal to the Oversight Board is upheld, Facebook will have seven days to reactivate his account.
YouTube meanwhile has said it will reactivate Trump’s account when the threat of “real-world violence” reduces.
Twitter of course has permanently banned Trump.
