Democracy Dies in Darkness

Twitter, Facebook lock Trump’s accounts amid D.C. riots

The president has fanned flames of unrest, putting new pressure on Big Tech to clamp down on his divisive online rhetoric

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January 6, 2021 at 9:22 p.m. EST
Supporters of President Trump crossed barricades and began marching toward the back of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. (Video: The Washington Post)

Twitter late Wednesday locked President Trump out of his account for the first time, the most punitive step the social media giant has taken against the president, on a day of social unrest and violence in Washington.

The lockout, which will last for 12 hours, also included the removal of three tweets and a warning that Trump could be subject to a permanent suspension if he continues tweeting baseless conspiracy theories about the election and inciting violence.