Connect with us

news

More Trouble As Facebook, Twitter Suspended Trump amid Capitol Hill violence

Published

on

Twitter and Facebook suspended Donald Trump’s accounts for the first time, finally escalating their crackdown on the president’s social media posts after he encouraged and supported rioters at the US Capitol.

Twitter required Mr Trump to delete certain posts after “repeated and severe” violations of its rules on election misinformation, including a video sending love to the violent uprising in Washington protesting his November loss to Joe Biden.

The same video was also removed by Google’s YouTube and helped tip the scales at Facebook, which said it’s banning Mr Trump’s page from posting for 24 hours.

“As a result of the unprecedented and ongoing violent situation in Washington, DC, we have required the removal of three @realDonaldTrump Tweets that were posted earlier today for repeated and severe violations of our Civic Integrity policy,” Twitter wrote in a post on its site.

Once the tweets are deleted, Mr Trump will get his account back after a 12-hour lock is lifted.

For years, social media — especially Twitter — has been Mr Trump’s preferred way to disseminate information directly to the public. Since November, Mr Trump has posted regularly without evidence that the presidential election was “rigged.” Twitter has labelled dozens of Mr Trump’s posts as disputed or misleading and Facebook flagged misleading election posts by pointing users to trusted news sites, but Wednesday was the first time the president has been kicked off either platform even temporarily. Twitter threatened to ban Mr Trump entirely if he continues to break the rules.

“Future violations of the Twitter Rules, including our Civic Integrity or Violent Threats policies, will result in permanent suspension of the @realDonaldTrump account,” the company tweeted from its @TwitterSafety handle.

Most of Mr. Trump’s Twitter messages appear simultaneously on Facebook, where they are spread widely among followers through sharing and commenting. The company recently started labelling misleading Trump posts with links to further context, such as information about Mr Biden’s election win, but has generally allowed users to continue to share and react to his posts until Wednesday’s temporary ban.

The video that Mr Trump was asked to remove on Twitter showed the president addressing rioters at the US Capitol. Mr Trump told them to “go home,” but also called the election result “fraudulent.

Facebook, the world’s largest social network, said it was appalled by the riots and would remove all praise of the insurrection at the Capitol, calls to bring weapons to certain locations across the US, and videos and photos from Capitol protesters.

“At this point they represent promotion of criminal activity which violates our policies,” the company said in a blog post. Facebook’s Instagram photo-sharing service also said it would lock Mr Trump’s account for 24 hours.

Another Trump tweet that was blocked, which appeared as the violence unfolded, read, “These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long.”

Twitter has been under pressure for years to take a tougher stance against Mr Trump’s account, which he often uses to spread inflammatory attacks and misinformation. Calls for Twitter chief executive Jack Dorsey to ban the president were widespread on Wednesday. Mr Trump’s supporters had gathered in Washington for a speech in which he encouraged them to demand the election be overturned.

In the past, Twitter has come up with other rules to limit the spread of Mr Trump’s incendiary posts without removing them entirely, including warning labels that obscure the content of messages, arguing against their removal on the grounds of news value coming from a world leader. But Twitter has also taken a firmer line against Mr Trump in recent months. Executives have said that Mr Dorsey is not the final word on punishing elected leaders and that decision falls to its top policy executive, Vijaya Gadde.

Twitter first flagged a handful of Mr Trump’s tweets for misinformation in May, setting off a more aggressive approach to the president’s posts in the midst of nationwide racial justice protests triggered by George Floyd’s death. Since November, dozens of Mr Trump’s tweets have been hidden or labelled for mischaracterising the election results. Shortly after the election, Twitter confirmed that when Mr. Trump leaves office in January, he will not be considered a world leader, and could be punished more severely for his violations.

Twitter shares fell about 2 per cent.

 

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

news

Araraume Felicitates President Tinubu on his birthday. Hails his Reform Agenda and National Milestones

Published

on

Senator Ifeanyi Araraume has congratulated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the occasion of his birthday, praising the President’s leadership style and the series of reforms that have shaped the direction of the country since he assumed office.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Araraume described President Tinubu as “a courageous reformer whose decisions continue to redefine Nigeria’s economic and governance landscape.” He noted that the President’s first year in office has been marked by bold policy choices aimed at stabilizing the economy and laying the groundwork for long term national development.

Araraume highlighted the removal of the petrol subsidy as one of the most significant economic decisions in recent decades, saying it demonstrated the President’s willingness to confront long‑standing structural challenges. According to him, the policy, though demanding, has redirected national resources toward infrastructure, social investment, and other critical sectors.

He also commended the administration’s unification of the foreign exchange market, describing it as a major step toward restoring investor confidence and strengthening Nigeria’s global competitiveness. The senator noted that the reforms have attracted renewed interest from international partners and signaled a commitment to transparent economic management.

Beyond economic restructuring, Araraume pointed to ongoing infrastructure expansion as evidence of the administration’s focus on national development. He cited the acceleration of key road projects, renewed efforts to expand rail connectivity, and the push to improve power generation and distribution as initiatives that reflect the President’s long term vision for a more productive Nigeria.

The senator further acknowledged the government’s interventions in agriculture, including support for mechanization and targeted programs aimed at boosting food security. He said these efforts are essential to reducing dependence on imports and strengthening local production.

On the diplomatic front, Araraume praised President Tinubu’s engagements across Africa and beyond, noting his role in strengthening regional cooperation within ECOWAS and advancing Nigeria’s interests on the global stage.

“As we celebrate this milestone, it is important to recognize the resilience and determination with which President Tinubu has approached the task of nation building,” Araraume said. “His commitment to reforms, economic stability, and democratic governance continues to inspire confidence in Nigeria’s future.”

He wished the President good health, renewed strength, and continued wisdom as he leads the country through what he described as “a defining period in Nigeria’s history.”

Continue Reading

news

Araraume Salutes Tinubu’s Vision, Lists Key Achievements on Birthday

Published

on

Senator Ifeanyi Araraume has congratulated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the occasion of his birthday, praising his leadership style and the series of reforms that have shaped the country’s direction since he assumed office.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Araraume described the President as “a courageous reformer whose decisions continue to redefine Nigeria’s economic and governance landscape.” He noted that Tinubu’s first year in office has been marked by bold policy choices aimed at stabilizing the economy and laying the groundwork for long-term national development.

Araraume highlighted the removal of the petrol subsidy as one of the most significant economic decisions in recent decades, saying it demonstrated the President’s willingness to confront long-standing structural challenges. According to him, the policy, though demanding, has redirected national resources toward infrastructure, social investment, and other critical sectors.

He also commended the administration’s unification of the foreign exchange market, describing it as a major step toward restoring investor confidence and strengthening Nigeria’s global competitiveness. The senator noted that the reforms have attracted renewed interest from international partners and signaled a commitment to transparent economic management.

Beyond economic restructuring, Araraume pointed to ongoing infrastructure expansion as evidence of the administration’s focus on national development. He cited the acceleration of key road projects, renewed efforts to expand rail connectivity, and the push to improve power generation and distribution as initiatives that reflect the President’s long-term vision for a more productive Nigeria.

The senator further acknowledged the government’s interventions in agriculture, including support for mechanization and targeted programmes aimed at boosting food security. He said these efforts are essential to reducing dependence on imports and strengthening local production.

On the diplomatic front, Araraume praised Tinubu’s engagements across Africa and beyond, noting his role in strengthening regional cooperation within ECOWAS and advancing Nigeria’s interests on the global stage.

“As we celebrate this milestone, it is important to recognise the resilience and determination with which President Tinubu has approached the task of nation-building,” Araraume said. “His commitment to reforms, economic stability, and democratic governance continues to inspire confidence in Nigeria’s future.”

He wished the President good health, renewed strength, and continued wisdom as he leads the country through what he described as “a defining period in Nigeria’s history.”

Continue Reading

news

APC Convention: Party Eyes Consensus for National Leadership Selection

Published

on

The All Progressives Congress has confirmed that it plans to adopt a consensus approach for selecting its national leadership during the party’s convention scheduled for March 27–28, 2026, in Abuja.

The Assistant Secretary for Media and Publicity for the APC National Convention 2026, Mary Ikoku, disclosed the plan during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday.

On the issue of elective positions during primaries, Ikoku said the party had not yet decided how these would be handled, noting that decisions may vary depending on local political dynamics.

She explained, “APC, for this convention, I am aware and can say that the party is adopting consensus for this convention. As to whether they are adopting consensus for elective positions, I do not have an answer to that because politics is local.

“So, I believe that, at the end of the day, when it comes to the issue of elective positions, the persons who would emerge aren’t often what you would want to make consensus in every space.”

Ikoku also addressed the Electoral Act’s provisions, which require political parties to register members online within a specified timeframe and outline acceptable methods for candidate selection.

She said these requirements posed challenges for some parties but reflected preparedness—or the lack thereof.

“We have an electoral law that defines the models for these elections. Direct primaries and consensus have been allowed, while indirect primaries have been taken out.

“That is the current law of the nation, passed and assented to. Now, why do you think other political parties will have issues with that?” she asked.

“That would be to say there are levels of unpreparedness of these political parties. Any political party that is worth its salt should not wait till election season to start preparing for the run for office and all of these congresses.

“It is something they would have planned ahead of time. So, when you are not proactive as a party, these kinds of situations can challenge you deeply,” she added.

Ahead of the convention, the party began screening aspirants for key positions in its National Working Committee , including National Chairman aspirant Nentawe Yilwatda and National Secretary hopeful Ajibola Basiru.

Other NWC members seeking to retain their posts include National Youth Leader Dayo Israel, Deputy National Chairman (North) Ali Bukar Dalori, National Legal Adviser Abdulkarim Abubakar Kana, National Woman Leader Mary Alile Idele, and National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka, among others.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2025 Newsthumb Magazine | All rights reserved