Elon Musk says he would end Donald Trump’s Twitter ban if takeover succeeds

Elon Musk said Tuesday that he would end Donald Trump’s Twitter ban if he becomes the social media platform’s new owner.

Musk said during a keynote address hosted by the Financial Times that it was a “mistake” to ban Trump in the first place.

“(The ban) alienated a large part of a country and it did not ultimately result in Donald Trump not having a voice,” Musk said, noting that Trump has since created his own social network, Truth Social, to communicate with his supporters.

“It was a morally bad decision and foolish in the extreme (to ban Trump).”

Musk said that the ban even amplified Trump’s voice among the political right, and a ban could be worse than a single forum where everyone can debate.

Trump was banned from Twitter after the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, when his supporters entered the building in an attempt to overturn the certification of the U.S.’s 2020 election.

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The former president has said publicly that he will not return to Twitter even if he is allowed, preferring to stay on Truth Social.

Musk noted that his $44-billion deal to take over Twitter has not been finalized yet, so it is not definite that Trump’s account will be reinstated, though he said Twitter’s co-founder and former CEO, Jack Dorsey, agrees that the ban should not continue.

It is still unclear what moderation rules the Tesla CEO would enforce if he becomes Twitter’s new owner, but he said Tuesday that permanent bans should not exist, opting rather for a time out or suspension, or hiding or lowering the traction of certain tweets.

“Permanent bans undermine trust in Twitter as a town square where everyone can voice their opinion,” Musk said.

He asserted, though, that a looser moderation policy doesn’t mean anyone can say what they want — it must be lawful.