Former President Mr. Trump claimed on Monday that he has no intentions to return to Twitter, even if Elon Musk reinstates his account, and that he will instead focus on his new social media platform, Truth Social.
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“I’m not getting on Twitter; I’m staying on TRUTH,” Trump said in a statement to Fox News soon before Musk’s $44 billion takeover deal for Twitter was overwhelmingly approved by the company’s board of directors.
“I want Elon to buy Twitter because he’ll enhance it, and he’s a fantastic man, but I’m remaining on TRUTH,” Trump said in his statement, per report.
Musk, Tesla’s outspoken billionaire CEO, has stated that he intends to take Twitter privatized and reduce content monitoring.
Twitter, as well as Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat, have permanently suspended Trump for his involvement in advocating violence during the attack on the US Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to the companies. During the incident, his Twitter account, which had over 88 million followers, was temporarily banned when he denounced then-Vice President Mike Pence, who had been certifying Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory.
“We have permanently banned the account due to the danger of additional encouragement of violence,” Twitter stated in a tweet notifying the suspension.
Trump revealed intentions to build his own social media network, Truth Social, after leaving office, which had a rocky launch last month.
Trump has yet to join the platform, which has failed to gain traction. According to Fox, the former president will formally join “during the next seven days, as scheduled.”
Trump utilized Twitter as a campaign tool to help catapult him to the presidency. He said briefly after his election victory in 2016 that he’s not sure how much he’d use Twitter once he ends up in the White House.
“I’m going to be extremely restricted if I use it at all,” Trump said days after the 2016 presidential election on CBS’ “60 Minutes.”
However, Trump’s usage of Twitter increased during his presidency, with the president utilizing the social media network to feud with opponents, float conspiracy theories, and antagonize foreign rivals.