As Elon Musk acquires platform, will Donald Trump rejoin Twitter?

Washington, Apr 26: Hours after Elon Musk bought Twitter, is there a possibility of reinstating the account of former President Donald Trump, who was permanently banned from Twitter for his part in encouraging the January 6 insurrection.

When Trump was banned from Twitter, he resorted to putting out email press releases and trying to launch his own social media platform.

Former US president Donald Trump vowed he would not be returning to Twitter if his account was reinstated following the purchase of the platform by tech billionaire Elon Musk, announced on Monday.

The Republican leader said he would be using his own site, Truth Social, although he appears only to have posted once since its launch in February.

"I am not going on Twitter, I am going to stay on TRUTH," Trump said, according to FoxNews.com, adding that Musk was a "good man" who would improve the service.

"We're taking in millions of people, and what we're finding is that the response on TRUTH is much better than being on Twitter. Twitter has bots and fake accounts, and we are doing everything we can," he told the network.

Trump was banned for life from Twitter -- and impeached for a second time -- following the January 2021 assault on the US Capitol by his supporters, with the company citing the "risk of further incitement of violence."

Trump was banned for life from Twitter -- and impeached for a second time -- following the January 2021 assault on the US Capitol by his supporters, with the company citing the "risk of further incitement of violence."

The California-based platform has been dogged by complaints from conservatives that it was biased against them and violating their free speech rights with suspensions for rule-breaking.

Musk, whose immense wealth stems from the popularity of Tesla electric vehicles, as well as other ventures, struck a deal Monday to buy Twitter for $44 billion, the company announced.

A self-proclaimed "free-speech absolutist," he is expected to take a less robust approach to regulating content, and analysts have speculated that he may reinstate accounts of Trump and allies who have fallen afoul of the rules.

Trump appeared to have spoken to Fox News before he was aware of Musk's purchase. But progressive group Media Matters for America had already warned that the former president could return.