As the battle between President Trump and social media rages on, Twitter has acted again, making it Trump’s move. Yesterday President Trump took major decisive executive action against social media companies after Twitter decided to fact check at least two of his tweets regarding his opinion on mail-in ballots and potential fraud that could ensue.
Last night President decided he had had enough while watching the riots going on in Minnesota and around the nation and seeing people’s businesses and livelihoods destroyed. The president has spoken about the George Floyd death saying he thinks it looks bad and AG Barr is fully investigating.
This doesn’t mean people should be violently looting or stealing or destroying property of course, as all rational people would agree with. One of Trump’s tweets appeared to cross the line with Jack Dorsey’s Twitter and instead of just fact-checking it they deleted it this time.
Of course, they left a link where you can still see the tweet for the sake of ‘public interest’, but it’s still a slap in the face to the President of the United States. The original two-part tweet read:
“I can’t stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right. These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!”
“when the looting starts, the shooting starts” is most likely what set off the zealous tweet checkers but it’s hard to say for sure.
President Trump even took the time to say that these riots are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd. That wasn’t enough for Twitter though, and when viewing the feed of President Donald Trump’s, all you see now is “This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the public’s interest for the Tweet to remain accessible.” See a screenshot of the disclaimer and the full tweet below:
….These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020
It is unclear yet if President Trump will take any further action beyond his executive order yesterday that seeks to limit social media companies from legal protections as a platform and much more, but he has since tweeted out two more indirect hits, one referencing a possibility that Twitter is targeting the president’s account.
“The President has been targeted by Twitter.” @MariaBartiromo What about all of the lies and fraudulent statements made by Adam Schiff, and so many others, on the Russian Witch Hunt Plus, Plus, Plus? What about China’s propaganda? WHO’s mistakes? No flags?”
“Regulate Twitter if they are going to start regulating free speech.” @JudgeJeanine @foxandfriends Well, as they have just proven conclusively, that’s what they are doing. Repeal Section 230!!!”
See the two tweets below:
“The President has been targeted by Twitter.” @MariaBartiromo What about all of the lies and fraudulent statements made by Adam Schiff, and so many others, on the Russian Witch Hunt Plus, Plus, Plus? What about China’s propaganda? WHO’s mistakes? No flags? @foxandfriends
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020
“Regulate Twitter if they are going to start regulating free speech.” @JudgeJeanine @foxandfriends Well, as they have just proven conclusively, that’s what they are doing. Repeal Section 230!!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020
