Twitter restricts new Trump tweet for ‘glorifying violence’

‘When the looting starts, the shooting starts,’ tweeted the President of the United States of America

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Twitter has placed a public interest notice on a tweet from President Trump for breaking the platform’s rules about the “glorification of violence.” However, Twitter has not chosen to remove the tweet from its platform entirely, because it believes it to be in the public interest. Twitter announced the notice in a tweet thread from its official comms account.

The notice means that the tweet is hidden from Trump’s timeline, but is accessible if you visit the tweet directly after clicking a “view” button. The reach of the tweet will also be limited as part of the process. Although users can still retweet it with a comment, they cannot reply to it, retweet it directly, or like it. Twitter also says that its notice means that the tweet won’t be algorithmically recommended on its platform.

Trump’s tweet remained on the platform, but it’s now accompanied by a notice from Twitter. Screenshot: Twitter

“These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen,” President Trump’s tweet reads. “Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!”

Twitter seemed to be taking issue with Trump’s line “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.” Twitter referred to that quote’s historical connection to violence as reason for today’s action.