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Elon Musk signals Trump won't return to Twitter before midterms

Twitter owner Elon Musk said the site will not reinstate banned users until a policy is created. File photo by Pat Benic/UPI
1 of 4 | Twitter owner Elon Musk said the site will not reinstate banned users until a policy is created. File photo by Pat Benic/UPI | License Photo

Nov. 2 (UPI) -- Elon Musk indicated Twitter bans will stay in effect for rules violators for at least a few more weeks, which suggests former President Donald Trump's return is not imminent.

The new owner and sole director of the social media giant continues to ruffle feathers and keep people chirping over his loose style of sharing his vision for Twitter. In the early hours Wednesday he again shared some tidbits with a tweet about users who are currently banned.

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Yoel Roth, Twitter's head of safety and integrity, tweeted that the company is "staying vigilant against attempts to manipulate conversations about the 2022 U.S. midterms."

"Twitter will not allow anyone who was de-platformed for violating Twitter rules back on platform until we have a clear process for doing so, which will take at least a few more weeks," Musk replied.

In May, Musk remarked that he would reverse Trump's permanent ban if he took control of Twitter. He said the decision to ban Trump was a "morally bad decision" and "foolish in the extreme."

After the ban, Trump shifted his social media activity briefly to Parler before Trump Media and Technology Group launched the site Truth Social.

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There are hundreds of thousands of users banned from Twitter, notably Trump. The former president was permanently banned on Jan. 8, 2021, just two days after the Capitol riot "due to the risk of further incitement of violence."

Twitter has rules aimed at protecting the safety and privacy of its users. Threats of violence, terrorism, abuse, harassment and hateful conduct against others based on race, ethnicity and sexual orientation may result in content being removed and the user being banned.

Other banned users include:

  • MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell: banned for furthering claims about the 2020 election
  • Former Trump attorney Sydney Powell: Twitter's crackdown on disinformation
  • Former national security advisor Mike Flynn: Twitter's crackdown on disinformation
  • Trump consultant Roger Stone: threatening CNN anchors
  • Martin Shkreli: harassing a journalist
  • Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon: threats of violence to Dr. Anthony Fauci and FBI Director Christopher Wray
  • Alex Jones: abusive behavior

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