Former President Donald Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts have been reinstated, a company spokesperson said Thursday.
The reinstatement had been expected after Nick Clegg, Facebook’s president of global affairs, announced in late January that the suspension would be lifted.
Andy Stone, policy communications director at Meta, confirmed the news to NBC News.
Facebook first suspended Trump’s accounts in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 attack, initially as an indefinite ban that included the last two weeks of his presidency. The ban was then formally extended for two years.
NBC News reported in January that the company, which is now called Meta and includes Facebook, Instagram and other platforms including WhatsApp, had decided to reinstate Trump’s accounts while also including “new guardrails” meant to provide clear rules “to deter repeat offenses.”
Trump was also recently reinstated to Twitter, where he had been banned since Jan. 8, 2021.
But Trump has yet to tweet, instead continuing to post on Truth Social, the Twitter-like platform he founded.
As of early Thursday afternoon, no new posts had been published to Trump’s Facebook or Instagram accounts. The most recent Instagram post, dated Jan. 5, 2021, promoted the “Save America” rally where he would encourage his supporters to march on the Capitol.
His last post on Facebook before the suspension called for people to leave the Capitol.”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!” the post stated.
