Schiff blasts Facebook for ending Trump’s suspension: ‘tragic decision’

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) hit out at Meta’s move to reinstate former President Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts as a “tragic decision” after Meta made an announcement Wednesday it would allow the former president back onto the social media sites.

“As a general rule, we don’t want to get in the way of open, public and democratic debate on Meta’s platforms, especially in the context of elections in democratic societies like the United States,” Nick Clegg, Meta’s president of global affairs, wrote in a blog post announcing the decision. “The public should be able to hear what their politicians are saying — the good, the bad and the ugly — so that they can make informed choices at the ballot box.”

“I think Facebook’s decision to reinstate Donald Trump is inexplicable,” Schiff said in an interview with MSNBC. “It represents, in my view, a total caving in and copping out. The only motive I can see is profit motive here.”

Trump, who was a sitting President at the time, was banned from both Facebook and Instagram following the January 6 capital riots.  Meta said they believed Trump was a public risk at the time.

Trump has spent the last 2 years on Truth Social however sources close to him say he is considering a move back to mainstream social media as he launches his 2024 Presidential campaign.

Schiff said that Trump’s posts on “Truth Social would violate Facebook’s terms.

“He’s continued to give aid and comfort to those who committed acts of insurrection,” Schiff said. “He’s continuing to spread the big lie.”

Rep. Eric Swallwell (D-Calif.) also backed Schiff by saying that Trump still has some influence among Republicans.

“We know that his words have power and they inspire, and then the leaders in the Republican party, like Speaker [Kevin] McCarthy [R-Calif.], they don’t condemn them,” Swalwell said. “And so when they’re not condemned, they’re a greenlight and open lane for more violence to occur.”

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) said allowing Trump back on Facebook and Instagram was a “dangerous decision.”

“The reinstatement of Trump’s accounts shows that there is no low Mark Zuckerberg will not stoop to in order to reverse Meta’s cratering revenue and stagnant consumer growth, even if it means damaging our democracy,” she said on Twitter.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) did call Trump out for his untruths, but also said that he has a right to express his views.

You have a guy who’s a pathological liar,” Sanders said. “But he happens to be the former president of the United States and he has a right to express his views.”