The permanent suspension of Donald Trump’s personal Twitter account sent shockwaves through the internet on Friday, promoting reactions both outraged and gleeful. The drama played out, of course, on Twitter.
Critics of Trump have long called for his account to be disabled, while his allies have attempted to defend or excuse the president’s online mayhem.
Mark Warner, a Democratic senator and frequent Silicon Valley critic, called it “an overdue step” but highlighted how the misinformation ecosystem is much larger than one man alone.
An overdue step. But it’s important to remember, this is much bigger than one person. It’s about an entire ecosystem that allows misinformation and hate to spread and fester unchecked. https://t.co/wPc0AFWcgu
— Mark Warner (@MarkWarner) January 8, 2021
Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen said the president needs Twitter like “oxygen” and imagined he would be “be losing his marbles” over the ban.
Know that #Trump relies on @Twitter to exist in the same way we require oxygen to breathe. He is losing his marbles right now! https://t.co/RTS4iz59fu
— Michael Cohen (@MichaelCohen212) January 9, 2021
And Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state and Trump’s 2016 rival, offered a pithy summation.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) January 9, 2021
Others noted the ban could be awkward for the first lady Melania Trump’s campaign against cyberbullying.
Hey @FLOTUS
— jvharris_1965 (@jvharris_1965) January 8, 2021
Great news. Twitter just banned your husband. Your anti cyber bullying campaign is working.#BeBest
However, others, including Trump’s son Don Jr and Trump’s former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, were swift to decry the move as censorship.
Silencing people, not to mention the President of the US, is what happens in China not our country. #Unbelievable
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) January 8, 2021
We are living Orwell’s 1984. Free-speech no longer exists in America. It died with big tech and what’s left is only there for a chosen few.
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 9, 2021
This is absolute insanity! https://t.co/s2z8ymFsLX
Donald Trump has used Twitter to facilitate his rise to power, and to incite real-world violence with grave consequences. He has also, over the years, used it to scream into the void about a range of bizarre topics.
After the president was permanently removed from the platform on Friday, users shared some memorable past posts: that time he was mad about the former congressman Barney Frank’s nipples; that time he tweeted about his high IQ; that time he wished a happy 9/11 to all his haters and losers; and that time he was oddly preoccupied with Kristen Stewart.
in memoriam, my all-time fav tweet: pic.twitter.com/4pWDCSxlj8
— rex (@oldredtree) January 8, 2021
everyone post their favorite trump tweets i’ll start pic.twitter.com/bvpvK1zciA
— kermit gulag (@startunnels) January 8, 2021
Trump commemorated the 12th anniversary of 9/11 by extending “my best wishes” to “haters and losers.” pic.twitter.com/sWPB7Ll6PF
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 11, 2018
RIP pic.twitter.com/kauVboaPYs
— Alex Press (@alexnpress) January 8, 2021
And still others took delight in imagining how Trump must have reacted to the news, or simply revelled in the unprecedented sight of Trump’s account, long a running thread of anger, attacks and conspiratorial falsehoods, at long last going quiet.
i would give up a non-essential organ in exchange for video of someone telling him
— Brandy Jensen (@BrandyLJensen) January 8, 2021
i want to know how he finds out pic.twitter.com/LkPtJ9ScTL
— yohana desta (@yohanadesta) January 8, 2021
I won’t rest until he is removed from that scene in Home Alone 2
— Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra) January 8, 2021
Lmao Trump pic.twitter.com/UWAqBFyuip
— 💙🌊The Usual Soze #Resist 🌊📎🗽❄️ 🆘 (@Frost8Woods) January 9, 2021
Put this screen shot in the presidential library pic.twitter.com/flFc5RfKGq
— Sophie (@jil_slander) January 8, 2021
