Former President Donald Trump and his 2024 presidential campaign are reportedly in talks with Facebook executives over reinstating his social media account.
With his announced candidacy for president and the election cycle looming, Trump’s campaign sees the importance in having him back on the popular platform.
Donald Trump prepares for his return to Facebook and Twitter https://t.co/EgN15pvp2e #OAN pic.twitter.com/zorYtGatDQ
— One America News (@OANN) January 18, 2023
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Trump said that Facebook needs his presence “more than we need them.” However, he confirmed that his campaign is pushing for a meeting with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg before the election season begins in earnest.
Trump told the outlet that Facebook has “lost $700 billion since I was de-platformed.” He called it a major mistake for the company along with Twitter and others.
The former president said that taking him back would help Facebook “greatly,” and “we are talking to them, and we’ll see how it all works out.”
Trump was de-platformed after the Jan. 6 Capitol incident from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat. Following his controversial ouster he formed his own social media company, Truth Social. This now serves as his primary platform for announcements and commentary.
On Wednesday, the former president said that Truth Social is “through the roof.”
However, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung admitted to Fox News Digital that the campaign sees Facebook as a critical part of its 2024 effort. Energizing voters will require a massive data operation, advertising, and fundraising — all of which may be undertaken through the platform.
Cheung further argued that Trump’s free speech rights should allow him to speak directly to the American people through Facebook and others. He accused Big Tech of trying to silence the candidate and labeled its moves as “un-American and undemocratic.”
He also acknowledged the giant role Facebook played in Trump’s successful 2016 presidential campaign. The social media giant allowed him to bypass mainstream and traditional media outlets in order to reach potential voters.
Trump ran almost 6 million versions of ads and spent $44 million on Facebook marketing in the six months prior to the 2016 election.
The former president’s campaign is right — it is un-American to deplatform so important of a national political figure. Whatever side of the political spectrum a candidate occupies, their voice deserves a chance to be heard, and censorship should be reserved for the most extreme circumstances.