The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is under fire from liberals on Twitter after it argued that former President Donald Trump, "[l]ike it or not," has a right to speak out on social media.
"This is the right call. Like it or not, President Trump is one of the country’s leading political figures and the public has a strong interest in hearing his speech."
The ACLU was responding to a Wednesday announcement from Facebook, under parent company Meta, that Trump’s ban from Facebook and Instagram would be reversed "in the coming weeks."
The backlash against the ACLU was brutal, with many liberal posters claiming that Trump was too dangerous to be allowed back on the sites.
"He has his own social media platform to spread dangerous and hateful propaganda, including anti-Semitism," Occupy Democrats contributor Tara Dublin said in an apparent reference to Truth Social, Trump’s social media site.
"I’m disappointed in this take from you, because you know hate speech should never be protected while victims of hate crimes should be."
Author Brandon Bird suggested that American civil rights suffered under Trump. "Hey ACLU, quick question: do you think Trump's term was a net positive or negative for people's civil rights?"
Former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann claimed that private companies have the right to censor speech. "Sort of hard to believe you have mistaken a private website acting under its Terms of Service, and the government trying to suppress 1st Amendment rights."
Actress Mo Collins said that the ACLU was acting like a child. "Nah. Let's stick to adulting, ACLU."
Comedian Greg Proops responded with two words: "Absolute bollocks."
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But Trump's return to Facebook and Instagram comes with strings attached, president of global affairs at Meta, Nick Clegg, told Fox News.
That's because if Trump commits another "violation," that would result in second ban ranging from one month to two years, based "on the severity" of the action, Clegg said.
Trump was banned from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and YouTube in 2021.
The 45th president issued a statement on Truth Social soon after the news about his reinstatement broke.
"FACEBOOK, which has lost Billions of Dollars in value since ‘deplatforming’ your favorite President, me, has just announced that they are reinstating my account," he wrote Wednesday.
"Such a thing should never again happen to a sitting President, or anybody else who is not deserving of retribution!"
Fox News’ Lawrence Richard contributed to this report.
