Trump to Lose Twitter’s Protected Status After Presidency Ends
Twitter has long granted Donald Trump exceptions to its content moderation policies, allowing the former president to post statements that would typically result in suspensions or bans for ordinary users. However, this privileged status is set to expire once he officially leaves office.
Twitter’s Handling of Trump’s Controversial Tweets
In recent months, Twitter has intensified its efforts to combat misinformation by applying warning labels to Trump’s tweets—particularly those containing false or misleading claims about election results. While the frequency of these labels slowed post-election, moderation efforts continued as Trump’s account propagated unsubstantiated allegations.
What Changes When Trump Leaves Office?
During a Congressional hearing, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey confirmed that Trump’s account will no longer receive special protections once he transitions out of the presidency.
“If an account suddenly is not a world leader anymore, that particular policy goes away,” Dorsey stated.
While the exact implications remain unclear, this shift could make Trump more susceptible to suspensions or even a permanent ban if his posts violate Twitter’s standard policies.
Twitter’s Policy on World Leaders
Twitter previously explained its rationale for granting exceptions to public figures in a statement to TechCrunch:
“A critical function of our service is providing a place where people can openly and publicly respond to their leaders and hold them accountable. With this in mind, there are certain cases where it may be in the public’s interest to have access to certain Tweets, even if they would otherwise be in violation of our rules.”
Exceptions That Still Apply to World Leaders
Even with protected status, Twitter enforces strict prohibitions on:
- Promotion of terrorism
- Direct threats of violence against individuals (with context-based exceptions for political discourse)
- Sharing private information (e.g., home addresses, personal phone numbers)
- Non-consensual intimate media
- Child sexual exploitation content
- Encouragement of self-harm
Once Trump’s presidency concludes, these protections will no longer apply, potentially subjecting his account to stricter enforcement—a significant shift for one of the platform’s most controversial figures.
