Former President Donald Trump responded to the release of “The Twitter Files” this weekend, decrying what he described as official corruption across the federal government and in big tech firms.
With weeks to go before the November 2020 election, Twitter censored the NY Post report and even prevented users from sharing it in direct messages. The NY Post, meanwhile, was locked out of its account for more than two weeks.
“Twitter took extraordinary steps to suppress the story, removing links and posting warnings that it may be ‘unsafe,'” Taibbi wrote. “They even blocked its transmission via direct message, a tool hitherto reserved for extreme cases, e.g. child pornography,” he explained, as he posted alleged screenshots of emails that were sent to and from Twitter’s management at the time.
In sub-development, Taibbi further said that former CEO and co-founder Jack Dorsey didn’t have knowledge of the firm’s attempts to suppress the report.
“Although several sources recalled hearing about a ‘general’ warning from federal law enforcement that summer about possible foreign hacks, there’s no evidence–that I’ve seen–of any government involvement in the laptop story. In fact, that might have been the problem,” he wrote in a lengthy thread. “The decision was made at the highest levels of the company, but without the knowledge of CEO Jack Dorsey, with former head of legal, policy and trust Vijaya Gadde playing a key role.”
Over the weekend, Musk said on Twitter Spaces that the company’s actions before the 2020 General Election were tantamount to election interference.
“If Twitter is doing one team’s bidding before an election, shutting down dissenting voices on a pivotal election, that is the definition of election interference,” Musk said on Saturday evening.
Response
On Saturday, Trump suggested that the results of the 2020 election should be tossed. The 45th president has made similar remarks over the past two years.“Do you throw the Presidential Election Results of 2020 OUT and declare the RIGHTFUL WINNER, or do you have a NEW ELECTION?” Trump then asked. Trump said that in his view, the Constitution allows ”for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution.”
In response to Trump’s missives about the U.S. Constitution, the White House on Sunday morning condemned the former president.
“The American Constitution is a sacrosanct document that for over 200 years has guaranteed that freedom and the rule of law prevail in our great country. The Constitution brings the American people together–regardless of party–and elected leaders swear to uphold it,” White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said in a statement to news outlets.
He added: “It’s the ultimate monument to all of the Americans who have given their lives to defeat self-serving despots that abused their power and trampled on fundamental rights. Attacking the Constitution and all it stands for is anathema to the soul of our nation, and should be universally condemned. You cannot only love America when you win.”
Several weeks ago, Trump announced he would be running for president in 2024 for the third time. Around the same time, Musk moved to restore Trump’s Twitter account after a poll found that a majority of users supported its reinstatement. There are no signs that Trump would return to the platform, however, as he has expressed a desire to remain only on his Truth Social.
