Trump posts on Facebook for first time since reinstatement

by Brett Samuels - 03/17/23 4:40 PM ET

Former President Trump on Friday made his first post on Facebook in more than two years following his reinstatement to the platform by its parent company, Meta.

Trump posted a short video clip from the night of the 2016 presidential election. In it, he says: “Sorry to keep you waiting. Complicated business. Complicated.”

Trump’s most recent post before Friday was from Jan. 6, 2021, when rioters violently stormed the Capitol to try to stop the certification of President Biden’s election victory.

Meta suspended Trump from Facebook and Instagram the next day, saying his posts risked inciting further violence.

In January, the company announced it would reinstate Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts, saying he would regain his ability to post to his millions of followers on each platform. The company also said it would put measures in place to “deter repeat offenses.”

“Like any other Facebook or Instagram user, Mr. Trump is subject to our Community Standards. In light of his violations, he now also faces heightened penalties for repeat offenses,” Nick Clegg, president of global affairs for Meta, said in January.

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Twitter, which also suspended Trump’s account after the violence on Jan. 6, 2021, reinstated Trump last November after the company was bought by Elon Musk.

Trump’s return to Facebook gives him a powerful megaphone as he seeks to connect with supporters as part of his 2024 campaign for the White House. It could also provide a fundraising boost, as it will reconnect him with individuals who can help fuel his grassroots, small-dollar donor base.

Trump has also been posting on Truth Social, a social media platform he helped launch. On that platform, he frequently uses the rhetoric that got him suspended from platforms like Facebook in the first place, spreading claims that the 2020 election was fraudulent.

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