Liberals denounce Elon Musk as Republicans cheer: Reactions to Donald Trump being unbanned on Twitter

Elon Musk reinstated former President Donald Trump’s Twitter account Saturday night after a nearly two-year ban, spurring mixed reactions from lawmakers and other public figures.

While Trump’s account is live, it was not immediately clear if the former president would return to the platform. Trump, who on Tuesday announced he was running for president in 2024, has previously said he would not return to Twitter and would stick with his own social media platform, Truth Social.

Yet many still took to Twitter Saturday to voice views on Musk’s move. While liberal leaders voiced fear over the future of the influential social media company, many Republicans cheered the decision. At least one is wondering if she will also be allowed back on the platform.

“Welcome back, @realDonaldTrump!” an account for Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee wrote on Twitter. The congressional panel, which is controlled by Democrats, was responsible for launching impeachment proceedings against the former president.

U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, shared the news on Twitter and wrote: “2023 is going to be great. 2024 will be better.”

U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Arizona, welcomed Trump back to the platform and wrote: “He’s back.”

Some Democrats decried the move.

“I’m disgusted,” Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, wrote.

Minutes after the announcement, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr., D-N.J., called on Twitter users to remember the Jan. 6 2021 insurrection — the violent attack at the U.S. Capitol that led to Trump’s removal from the platform.

“682 days ago insurrectionists ransacked the US Capitol and hours later 68% of House republicans voted to finish the rioters’ job and make trump a dictator,” Pascrell wrote. “Never forget it.”

Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP, urged advertisers to halt work with Twitter.

Former President Donald Trump’s Twitter profile can be seen on a phone.

“In Elon Musk’s Twittersphere, you can incite an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, which led to the deaths of multiple people, and still be allowed to spew hate speech and violent conspiracies on his platform,” Johnson said in a statement. “Any advertiser still funding Twitter should immediately pause all advertising.”

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Johnson added: “If Elon Musk continues to run Twitter like this, using garbage polls that do not represent the American people and the needs of our democracy, God help us all.”

Trump’s reinstatement on the platform was spurred by a Friday poll posted by Musk, who purchased Twitter for $44 billion late last month. He launched the poll on his personal Twitter account Friday evening, allowing users to respond “yes” or “no” on whether to “Reinstate former President Trump.”

Over a 24-hour period, a majority of 15 million people voted in favor of reinstating Trump’s account. It was unclear how many of the poll participants were verified users or bots.

“The people have spoken. Trump will be reinstated. Vox Populi, Vox Dei,” Musk wrote on Twitter Saturday evening, including a Latin phrase meaning “the voice of the people is the voice of God.”

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In a statement before the poll closed Saturday evening, Trump said: “Vote now with positivity, but don’t worry, we aren’t going anywhere. Truth Social is special!”

During a virtual appearance Saturday at an annual meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition, Trump elaborated on his future on the platform, saying while he has “always liked” Musk, he did not see himself returning to Twitter.

“I don’t see it because I don’t see any reason for it. They have a lot of problems at Twitter. You see what’s going on,” Trump said.

The world’s richest man has made a series of changes at Twitter in recent weeks, including reinstating the accounts of far-right satire publication The Babylon Bee, Canadian men’s rights activist Jordan Peterson and comedian Kathy Griffin. Last month, Musk announced Twitter would be establishing a “content moderation council.”

In the wake of the announcement Saturday, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., called on Twitter to reinstate her personal account. Twitter permanently blocked the account in January, citing repeated violations of the social media platform’s COVID-19 misinformation policy.

“Interesting it took a poll to decide to reinstate him,” Taylor Greene wrote. “… What does it take to reinstate my account?”

USA TODAY was unable to contact Twitter for comment Saturday. Amid mass resignations and firings, the company no longer has a communications department. 

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump Twitter reinstated: Dems condemn Elon Musk, GOP celebrates