Donald Trump uses POTUS account to hit back at Twitter following permanent ban

8 January 2021, 23:31 | Updated: 9 January 2021, 15:33

Donald Trump has hit back at Twitter using the POTUS account after the social media giant permanently banned him over "risk of further incitement of violence".

The president accused the company of "banning free speech" in a tweet on the official President of the United States (POTUS) account.

Earlier on Friday, Twitter permanently suspended his @realdonaldtrump account and deleted all his old posts.

A tweet from the Twitter Security account read: "After close review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them we have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence."

Following this, a statement posted on Twitter's blog said it had "made it clear" previously that the President's account was "not above our rules", and said it took action "in the context of horrific events" earlier this week.

The statement said: "After close review of recent tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them - specifically how they are being received and interpreted on and off Twitter - we have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence.

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"In the context of horrific events this week, we made it clear on Wednesday that additional violations of the Twitter rules would potentially result in this very course of action.

"Our public interest framework exists to enable the public to hear from elected officials and world leaders directly. It is built on a principle that the people have a right to hold power to account in the open.

"However, we made it clear going back years that these accounts are not above our rules entirely and cannot use Twitter to incite violence, among other things.

"We will continue to be transparent around our policies and their enforcement."

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Mr Trump later tried tweeting from other accounts, including the official POTUS account.

The social media company then deleted those posts or, in one case, suspended the account.

In one tweet under the POTUS username, the president wrote: "As I have been saying for a long time, Twitter has gone further and further in banning free speech, and tonight, Twitter employees have coordinated with the Democrats and the Radical Left in removing my account from their platform, to silence me - and YOU, the 75,000,000 great patriots who voted for me."

Twitter said two of President Trump's tweets posted on Friday had violated its glorification of violence policy.

They were "The 75,000,000 great American Patriots who voted for me, AMERICA FIRST, and MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, will have a GIANT VOICE long into the future. They will not be disrespected or treated unfairly in any way, shape or form!!!" and "To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th".

The statement continued: "We assessed the two tweets referenced above under our glorification of violence policy, which aims to prevent the glorification of violence that could inspire others to replicate violent acts and determined that they were highly likely to encourage and inspire people to replicate the criminal acts that took place at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021."

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The social media giant said its assessment of the tweets found they were being "received by a number of his supporters as further confirmation that the election was not legitimate" and seen as "disavowing" his previous claim that there would be an "orderly transition" on January 20 when president-elect Joe Biden takes over.

The statement added: "The mention of his supporters having a 'GIANT VOICE long into the future' and that 'They will not be disrespected or treated unfairly in any way, shape or form!!!' is being interpreted as further indication that President Trump does not plan to facilitate an 'orderly transition' and instead that he plans to continue to support, empower, and shield those who believe he won the election."

The President had already received a ban from the social site which prevented him from posting on the platform for 12 hours after he praised the mob who stormed the US capitol building and said that he "loved" them.

Facebook has also already blocked Trump from their platform for 24 hours, and YouTube and Facebook removed similar posts.

Facebook has joined Twitter in blocking President Donald Trump from posting, following the storming of the US Capitol by his supporters.

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It comes as US Democrats are planning to introduce an article of impeachment against President Trump following Wednesday's invasion of the US Capitol.

The charge of "incitement of insurrection" is set to be introduced by House Democrats on Monday, in which they accuse the president of encouraging violence in the US Capitol in which five people died.

Representatives Raskin, Lieu, Cicilline are planning to introduce it, reports suggest.

It comes after President-elect Joe Biden has called Mr Trump 'the most incompetent president in US history' and said he is 'not fit to serve'.

The White House dismissed the impeachment as a "politically motivated" move that would "only serve to further divide our great country".

It would be the second time the House of Representatives has pursued impeachment against President Trump, with the first being in December 2019.

The first time, the House impeached Mr Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, however the Senate acquitted him on both charges.

But even if the impeachment did go ahead, it would be unlikely to pass through the Republican-held senate.

Earlier on Friday, Nancy Pelosi today called Trump an "unstable president" and said she was seeking advice on how to prevent Trump from accessing the codes for a nuclear strike.

In a statement she said: “This morning, I spoke to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley to discuss available precautions for preventing an unstable president from initiating military hostilities or accessing the launch codes and ordering a nuclear strike. “

Ms Pelosi and Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer have previously called on Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment to force President Trump from office.

It is a process for stripping the president of his post and installing the vice president to take over.President Trump is set to leave on January 20 when Mr Biden is inaugurated.

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On Friday, President-elect Joe Biden called Donald Trump 'the most incompetent president in US history' and said he is 'not fit to serve'.

It comes after Donald Trump said he will not be going to Joe Biden's Inauguration, tweeting on Friday: "To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration".

Responding to the US president's announcement that he would not be going to the inauguration, Mr Biden said it was a "good thing".

He said the response was 'one of a few things he and the incumbent president agreed on'.

He then went on to say that Mr Trump had "embarrassed" the US around the world and was "not fit to serve".

"He has exceeded even my worst notions about him," said Mr Biden.

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Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said that US President Donald Trump incited an assault on democracy by violent rioters - a rare direct criticism of Mr Trump by him.

Mr Trudeau has been careful not to criticise Mr Trump over the last four years as 75% of Canada's exports go to the US, but Mr Trudeau told reporters on Friday that Mr Trump and other politicians are to blame for an event he called "shocking, deeply disturbing, and frankly saddening".

"What we witnessed was an assault on democracy by violent rioters, incited by the current president and other politicians," Mr Trudeau said on Friday.

He said that democracy is not automatic, it takes work every day, and that it is a real accomplishment to have a political system in which the losing side gracefully concedes.

But Mr Trudeau said democracy is resilient in the US, Canada's closest ally.

Mr Trudeau said Canadians expect "debate that is grounded in shared acceptance of the facts".

Asked if he worries his comments could damage relations with Republicans, Mr Trudeau said: "It's extremely important that we be there to defend democracy.

"Words have consequences.

"Choices made by people in power can have direct impact on behaviours and institutions," he added.

Mr Trudeau and Mr Trump have largely got along, but Mr Trump previously called Mr Trudeau "weak" and "dishonest."

And Mr Trump vowed to make Canada pay after Mr Trudeau said he would not be bullied in trade talks.

Mr Trump threatened tariffs on cars and imposed them on steel and aluminium.