Twitter Files: Musk-Endorsed Report Reveals Internal Details Behind Trump's Removal

Twitter released a new batch of internal documents on Monday, revealing more details about how and why the social media firm suspended former President Donald Trump's account in January 2021.

The documents, which were endorsed by Elon Musk , offer a behind-the-scenes look at the events leading up to Trump's account being shut down. According to the report, Former Twitter staffers were concerned about the potential for violence if Trump's account was not suspended.

What the Twitter Files Is

The Twitter Files is a series of exposés that are being published with the backing of Elon Musk. These reports are based on leaked internal documents from Twitter, and the latest installment was published Monday.

This particular report deals with the internal deliberations that took place in January 2021 leading up to the suspension of Donald Trump's account. It provides a detailed look at the concerns that were raised by employees about Trump's behavior on the platform, as well as the various arguments for and against suspending his account.

How Elon Musk Is Involved in the Twitter Files

Elon Musk is involved in the Twitter Files in two ways. First, he's one of the investors in the publication, which is a fact he has been open about. Second, and more importantly, he's been using his Twitter account to promote the release of the files.

This is significant because it creates a level of transparency that wouldn't otherwise exist. Musk has been a vocal critic of Trump, and this gives the public a behind-the-scenes look at how Trump was actually removed from Twitter. It's an interesting look at the power of social media and how it can be used to influence change.

The Details and Timeline of Trump's Suspension

Twitter's internal documents, known as the "Twitter files," were released Monday and offer more insight into the events leading up to Former President Donald Trump's account suspension in January 2021. According to the report, Twitter's legal team recommended that Trump's account be suspended due to repeated violations of the company's terms of service.

The documents also reveal more about the internal discussions that took place in the days leading up to Trump's suspension. In one email, a Twitter employee wrote that "it would be good to suspend him" but worried that doing so would make Trump "a martyr."

Twitter has come under fire in the past for its decision to suspend Trump's account, but the company has maintained that it was acting in accordance with its terms of service.

How Twitter Had to Weigh Free Speech Asks Against Safety and Security Risks

The report notes that while some Twitter employees wanted to ban Donald Trump outright, others pushed for more nuanced solutions that would allow him to stay on the platform but with reduced visibility. In the end, Twitter decided to suspend his account “due to the risk of further incitement of violence” after the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6.

The report provides a detailed look at how Twitter employees wrestled with the decision, taking into account both free speech concerns and the need to protect users from harm.

On the one hand, some employees argued that Donald Trump’s tweets were protected speech under the First Amendment and that banning him would set a dangerous precedent. Others argued that his tweets were inciting violence and that Twitter had a responsibility to protect its users from harm.

In the end, Twitter decided to suspend Donald Trump’s account due to the risk of further incitement of violence.

Twitter's Estimated Response Time After Trump's Tweets

According to the report, Twitter's estimated response time after Trump's tweets was about six minutes. This is in contrast to the company's typical response time of two hours when it comes to other accounts.

The report also revealed that Twitter employees were discussing the possibility of suspending Trump's account as early as December 19, 2020, just days after the then-president tweeted about "steal[ing] the election."

Trump was finally suspended from Twitter on January 8, 2021.

The Aftermath of Trump's Removal From Twitter

The report also details the aftermath of Trump's removal from Twitter. In the days following the ban, there was a significant increase in negative sentiment towards the company on social media, with many users calling for a boycott of the platform.