Twitter door open to Trump’s return

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Post created on 12:02 pm

 

 

 

 

Four days after Twitter permanently suspended Donald Trump’s account on January 8, 2021, the then-US president’s son pleaded with entrepreneur Elon Musk to employ his “brilliance” to launch a social media platform that “isn’t biased” to crush the competition.

Musk didn’t accept Donald Trump Jr’s challenge.

But the Tesla chief’s deal to acquire Twitter sets him up to revisit the ban on the brash Republican a move that could roil US politics as the nation marches towards the 2024 presidential race and a potential Trump re-election bid.

The Trump matter has loomed as a question mark throughout the twists and turns of the Twitter deal saga.

Trump has said he wouldn’t return to Twitter even if offered, telling Fox News on Monday he would instead stay on his fledgling Truth Social platform, which has struggled to fully get off the ground.

On Tuesday, Truth Social was the most downloaded iPhone app, at least for that day. But its launch has been beset with technical problems and it has yet to make it onto the national political radar.

Nevertheless, many remain skeptical that Trump would be able to resist rejoining Twitter if given the chance.

Analysts believe Musk is driven primarily by a desire to control a visible marketing platform more than aspirations to shape American politics.

But many read Musk’s criticism of Twitter content policies as suggesting he will lift the Trump ban.