Elon Musk announced that Twitter will reinstate former President Donald Trump’s account on Twitter.
The Saturday announcement came after Musk used a 24-hour poll to allow users to decide.
#BREAKING: @ElonMusk reinstated @realDonaldTrump‘s banned Twitter accounthttps://t.co/FxI3Gq1Csx
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) November 20, 2022
The vote
“Friday night, asking users to vote on whether Trump’s account should be reinstated,” the Washington Examiner reported.
“Users voted 51.8% to 48.2% in favor of allowing Trump back on the platform, with more than 15 million votes being cast, and Musk announced he would honor the results of the poll shortly after the 24-hour window closed,” it added.
BREAKING: Elon Musk tweeted that “the people have spoken. Trump will be reinstated.” https://t.co/iC028O5DpN
The news came after a Musk poll on Twitter found a 51.8% majority supporting bringing Trump back on Twitter. pic.twitter.com/KnyhUBByPH
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) November 20, 2022
‘People have spoken’
“The people have spoken,” Musk tweeted after the poll closed on Saturday night. “Trump will be reinstated. Vox Populi, Vox Dei.”
“The @RealDonaldTrump account was viewable against shortly after 8 p.m. ET. His follower count was reset, but it was quickly adding up,” Newsmax reported.
Twitter should have NEVER stripped Former President Trump of his ability to tweet in the first place.
I’m glad to see @elonmusk living up to his word and allowing President Trump back on the platform.
Big Tech censorship of conservatives MUST end.
Welcome back, 45. pic.twitter.com/wOb2jcwvsE
— Congressman Byron Donalds (@RepDonaldsPress) November 20, 2022
The controversial decision comes just weeks after Musk took over leadership at Twitter. He also restored other Twitter accounts this week, including the Babylon Bee and Jordan Peterson.
The timing also follows days after Trump announced his comeback bid for the White House.
Musk continues to both excite some users and anger others as Twitter embraces his new free speech focus, offering a whirlwind of change at the platform previously known for its conservative censorship.