Donald Trump posts on Facebook for the first time since two-year ban
Former President Donald Trump has gone live with his first Facebook post since 2021.
‘I’M BACK!’ wrote Trump in the post on Friday afternoon.
It was accompanied by a 12-second 2024 Trump campaign video.
‘Sorry to keep you waiting, complicated business, complicated business,’ Trump said in the clip when he addressed a New York City watch party after defeating Hillary Clinton and winning the 2016 presidential election.
In this case it was in reference to Trump’s two-year absence from Facebook. Trump was banned after the social media company determined that his comments on the platform incited violence around the January 6 Capitol riot.
His post came more than a month after Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, restored his accounts.
Trump has 34million followers on his Facebook page. Friday’s post is a clear indication that Trump intends to use Facebook as a mechanism in his 2024 presidential campaign, which he announced in November.
The 45th president had been sticking to posting on his own Truth Social platform, despite having his Meta accounts restored and his Twitter account reinstated in November following Elon Musk’s takeover.
Trump’s last Facebook post before Friday was on January 6, 2021.
‘I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence! Remember, WE are the Party of Law & Order – respect the Law and our great men and women in Blue. Thank you!’ Trump wrote at the time, hours after holding a rally in which he encouraged his fans to fight the election results.
Trump’s new Facebook post came the same day that YouTube announced it had restored Trump’s channel after a two-year suspension for violating its policies by sharing content that incited violence.
Also on Friday, Trump announced that he will hold his first 2024 campaign rally in Waco, Texas, on March 25.
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