Donald Trump praised Nigeria’s Twitter ban in a statement and said he wishes he had done the same while he was president of the United States.
Trump also appeared to suggest that he would consider banning Twitter if elected again in the 2024 presidential election.
‘Congratulations to the country of Nigeria, who just banned Twitter because they banned their President. More COUNTRIES should ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing free and open speech – all voices should be heard,’ Trump said.
‘In the meantime, competitors will emerge and take hold. Who are they to dictate good and evil if they themselves are evil?’
He continued: ‘Perhaps I should have done it while I was President. But Zuckerberg kept calling me and coming to the White House for dinner telling me how great I was. 2024?’
Donald Trump praised Nigeria’s Twitter ban in a statement and said he wishes he had done the same while he was president of the United States
Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower in New York City on Tuesday after a storm passed through and waved to the few people lucky enough who withstood the poor weather
Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower in New York City on Tuesday after a storm passed through and waved to the few people lucky enough who withstood the poor weather
President Buhari’s tweet reportedly referenced the bloody civil war in Nigeria’s Biafra region in the late 1960s, during which a million people were killed
Twitter had removed a tweet from Buhari that was seen as threatening separatist movements, with Twitter saying that it violated its policies. Nigeria then banned Twitter from the country
Trump also appeared to suggest that he would consider banning Twitter if elected again in the 2024 presidential election in his statement
Trump’s statement also appeared to conflate the CEO of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, right, with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, left
The statement falsely said that Twitter had banned Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari. The social media company had removed a tweet from Buhari that was seen as threatening separatist movements, with Twitter saying that it violated its policies.
Trump’s statement also appeared to conflate the CEO of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
He was branded a ‘wannabe dictator’ by journalist Andrew Feinberg. The former president used his Twitter account to make big announcements, pick fights and share what often appeared to be his stream of conscious with his 88.7 million followers.
Trump was permanently banned the day after the deadly riots at the U.S. Capitol on January 6 after Twitter accused him of using his account – which had close to 90 million followers – of inciting violence.
Trump has also been suspended from Facebook for two years, after Zuckerberg’s company gave a seemingly finite end to Trump’s ban from the platform.
President Buhari’s tweet reportedly referenced the bloody civil war in Nigeria’s Biafra region in the late 1960s, during which a million people were killed, in what some perceived as a veiled threat to modern day separatists.
‘Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat’ the secessionists ‘in the language they understand,’ reads the tweet from Buhari – who was a military officer in the civil war.
Twitter removed the tweet and said it violated policies against ‘abusive behavior.’ The company’s rules prohibit promoting or threatening violence.
Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Information and Culture then tweeted on Friday that the social media account would be banned across the country with violators reportedly facing prosecution.
‘The Federal Government has suspended, indefinitely, the operations of the microblogging and social networking service, Twitter, in Nigeria,’ the ministry tweeted.
Trump was permanently banned the day after the deadly riots at the U.S. Capitol on January 6
Twitter accused Trump of using his account – which had close to 90 million followers – of inciting violence
With the Washington Monument in the background, people attend a rally in support of President Donald Trump on Wednesday, January 6
With the White House in the background, then-President Donald Trump speaks at a rally Wednesday, January 6
Twitter declared access to its platform a ‘human right’ on Saturday in response to the ban in Nigeria.
‘We are deeply concerned by the blocking of Twitter in Nigeria. Access to the free and #OpenInternet is an essential human right in modern society,’ the company said in a statement.
‘We will work to restore access for all those in Nigeria who rely on Twitter to communicate and connect with the world. #KeepitOn.’
The United States Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria also addressed the Twitter ban in a statement, condemning Nigeria for the ban.
‘Nigeria’s constitution provides for freedom of expression. The Government’s recent Twitter ban undermines Nigerians’ ability to exercise this fundamental freedom and sends a poor message to its citizens, investors and businesses,’ the mission tweeted.
‘Banning social media and curbing every citizen’s ability to seek, receive, and impart information undermines fundamental freedoms.’
The statement continued: ‘As President Biden has stated, our need for individual expression, open public conversation, and accountability has never been greater. The path to a more secure Nigeria lies in more, not less, communication, alongside concerted efforts toward unity, peace, and prosperity.’
While president, Trump attempted numerous times to block access to the Chinese-owned company TIkTok but his efforts were repeatedly blocked by federal judged, as noted by Forbes.