YouTube lifts restrictions on Donald Trump’s channel after 2 years of suspension

YouTube said on Friday it had reinstated former US President Donald Trump’s channel after a two-year suspension over concerns it could incite more violence following the deadly Jan. 6 riot on Capitol Hill in 2021.

In a tweet fridaythe Google-owned video site said Trump’s account was no longer restricted and could upload new content.

In 2021, YouTube banned Trump from posting videos on his channel and disabled comments on the channel. At the time, YouTube said it would consider lifting the suspension once the risk of violence subsides.

“We have carefully assessed the continued risk of real-world violence, while balancing the chances of voters hearing equally from leading national candidates heading into an election,” said Leslie Miller, vice-president. YouTube’s public policy chair, in a statement Friday. on lifting the ban.

YouTube’s move comes after Facebook and Instagram, both owned by Meta, lifted restrictions on the former president’s accounts earlier this year. Elon Musk reversed Trump’s permanent ban from Twitter in November. The return of his accounts gives Trump, who announced last year that he is running for president in 2024, more potential social media megaphones.

So far Trump hasn’t returned with any new posts on YouTube, Facebook or Twitter. In November, the former president reportedly said he planned to stick with the social network he helped launch earlier this year, Truth Social.

YouTube said Trump’s channel “will continue to be subject to our policies, like any other channel.”

The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.