(CNBC) Meta said Friday it’s removing any previously imposed penalties and restrictions on former President Donald Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts, as the upcoming 2024 U.S. presidential election nears.
The company first took action against Trump’s social media accounts in 2021, shortly after the Jan. 6 insurrection in Washington, D.C. At the time, Meta suspended Trump’s accounts for a two-year period, after it deemed that some of the former president’s actions, such as praising the Capitol rioters, were a potential risk for inciting more violence.
In January 2023, Meta said it would reinstate Trump on its platform, and he regained access to his accounts the following month. But Trump was still subject to remaining penalties and restrictions that could have led to his social media accounts facing long suspensions.
Following Meta’s latest announcement, if Trump were to violate the company’s community guidelines, he would face a much shorter possible suspension that could last only a few days, as opposed to a lengthier suspension under the previously imposed penalties.
