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Donald Trump's social media accounts have returned to pre-Capitol riot status.
Meta on Friday announced plans to remove a heightened suspension penalty from the former president's accounts. The restriction, which increased the punishment for rule violations to include automatic re-suspension of his account, had been put in place when Meta first reinstated his account in January 2023 following a two-year suspension.
The social media giant had originally banned Trump's Facebook and Instagram accounts "following his praise for people engaged in violence at the Capitol on January 6."
"With the party conventions taking place shortly, including the Republican convention next week, the candidates for President of the United States will soon be formally nominated," Meta wrote in a press release regarding its decision. "In assessing our responsibility to allow political expression, we believe that the American people should be able to hear from the nominees for President on the same basis."
The statement said that the penalties were considered "a response to extreme and extraordinary circumstances" and ultimately were never needed because Trump didn't continue to violate the platform's terms after reinstatement.
The reversal of restrictions on Trump's accounts comes just days after Trump threatened Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg with prison time if he's elected again, escalating the pair's yearslong public feud.
When reached for comment by Business Insider, a spokesperson for Meta declined to answer specific questions regarding the timing and rationale behind the decision or whether any other restrictions remain on the former president's social media accounts.
President Joe Biden's reelection campaign had a scathing response for Meta, calling it a "greedy, reckless decision" on the company's part and warning against "undemocratic, un-American misinformation" from Trump and MAGA Republicans.
"Restoring his access is like handing your car keys to someone you know will drive your car into a crowd and off a cliff," campaign spokesperson Charles Lutvak said in a statement to Business Insider. "It is holding a megaphone for a bonafide racist who will shout his hate and white supremacy from the rooftops and try to take it mainstream. Without question, it is a direct attack on our safety and our democracy."
Meta appears to be the final major social media platform to roll back the last of its January 6-era restrictions on Trump's accounts. Trump was originally barred from Meta's platforms, X (formerly Twitter), and Google-owned YouTube days after the Capitol riot.
After Elon Musk purchased Twitter, he reinstated Trump's account in November 2022. Meta reinstated his Facebook and Instagram accounts in January 2023 with the now-terminated restrictions — and YouTube gave Trump his channel back in March of the same year.
Though his old social media accounts are now unrestricted and boasting tens of millions of followers, Trump is still primarily sticking with his own company, Truth Social.
After being removed from mainstream sites, Trump founded an alternative social networking site and has used it as his primary platform since its launch in February 2022.
Truth Social went public in March, initially boosting Trump's net worth by billions, but the company has faced financial woes and an uncertain share price following SEC disclosures that revealed massive losses.
Representatives for the Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
