Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has announced that they will be lifting the longstanding restrictions placed on former President Trump's accounts. These restrictions have been in place since January 2021, following the Capitol riot.
A Meta spokesperson confirmed to Fox News that the bans on Trump's accounts will be lifted in the coming weeks. This decision comes after Meta reassessed their "responsibility to allow political expression." The company believes that the American people should be able to hear from presidential nominees on the same basis.
However, Meta also noted that there will be heightened penalties for repeat offenses, like those committed by Trump in the past. If he violates community guidelines again, Meta will remove the violating posts and Trump could face suspension ranging from a month to two years.
The initial ban on Trump's social media accounts drew backlash from across the political spectrum, as it was the first time a sitting president was barred from Facebook. In response, Trump created Truth Social, a social media site run by the Trump Media & Technology Group.
In addition to Truth Social, the Trump campaign also created an X account and a TikTok account, which quickly amassed 7.6 million followers.
It is worth noting that Meta's decision to reinstate Trump on their platforms is in line with their updated policy on account restrictions for public figures. The company stated that they have not had to deploy such penalties in response to extreme and extraordinary circumstances, which was the case with Trump.