Billionaire Elon Musk said Tuesday he’s prepared to reverse Twitter’s ban on Donald Trump once his $44 billion purchase of the social media company is complete. Musk spoke at an event hosted by the Financial Times newspaper.
Elon Musk: “It was not correct to ban Donald Trump. I think that was a mistake, because it alienated a large part of the country and did not ultimately result in Donald Trump not having a voice. … I think it was a morally bad decision, to be clear, and foolish in the extreme.”
Twitter banned Trump after the Capitol insurrection on January 6, 2021, citing the risk he would further incite violence ahead of Joe Biden’s inauguration. In a statement, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington said, “Giving someone who tried to overturn an election and helped incite an insurrection a major forum to continue undermining democracy is dangerous.” But ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero said Trump should be allowed back on Twitter, writing, “Like it or not, President Trump is one of the most important political figures in this country, and the public has a strong interest in hearing his speech.”