Donald Trump slams Facebook amid new political blow

Donald Trump has launched a scathing attack on Facebook after the tech giant handed down its decision on whether the former president could resume using its platform.

Donald Trump has lashed out at Facebook after it upheld its ban on him posting on its sites.

“Free Speech has been taken away from the President of the United States because the Radical Left Lunatics are afraid of the truth, but the truth will come out anyway, bigger and stronger than ever before,” Mr Trump said in a statement.

“The People of our Country will not stand for it! These corrupt social media companies must pay a political price, and must never again be allowed to destroy and decimate our Electoral Process.”

Mr Trump has previously threatened to start his own social media company and launched a new blog on Tuesday ahead of the Facebook ruling.

Facebook’s decision has dealt Trump’s political comeback a severe blow.

But the quasi-independent committee established by the social media giant to review issues such as the controversial Trump ban left some room for hope, ordering the company to “re-examine” the penalty.

“Indefinite penalties of this sort do not pass the international smell test,” oversight board co-chair Michael McConnell said.

“We are not cops, reigning over the realm of social media.”

Donald Trump launched his own social media platform this week. Picture: AFP

The White House wouldn’t comment on the decision.

“This is an independent board’s decision, and we’re not going to have any comment on the future of the former president’s social media platform,” White House Press Secretary, Jen Psaki said.

Mr Trump was banned from Facebook, Instagram and Twitter following the January 6 insurrection, with the social media companies accusing him of using their platforms to incite the rioters who overran the Capitol in Washington DC.

The move followed months of escalating tension between the companies and the former president and his supporters, who accused them of using their immense power to suppress conservative voices.

A woman looks at former US President Donald Trump's new social media platform "straight from the desk" displayed on her computer. Picture: AFP

Mr Trump’s Twitter account, which he used in unprecedented ways to communicate during his term as the president, remains banned.

But the potential permanent loss of Facebook is about more than Mr Trump’s voice, with the platform having been integral to fundraising when he campaigned for the White House ahead of the 2016 election.

A Trump supporter attends a rally in Oregon this week. The former US President still has huge support in America. Picture: Getty Images/AFP

Mr Trump has publicly mooted running for office again in 2024 and continues to insist that the 2020 election was “stolen” from him.

In the decision announced Wednesday morning, US time, Facebook’s oversight board gave the company six months to decide what should be done with Mr Trump’s account.

“Facebook must re-examine the arbitrary penalty it imposed on January 7 and decide the appropriate penalty,” the board said.

“This penalty must be based on the gravity of the violation and the prospect of future harm. It must also be consistent with Facebook’s rules for severe violations, which must, in turn, be clear, necessary and proportionate.”

Facebook said it stood by its initial ban in a statement released after the board released its ruling.

“As we stated in January, we believe our decision was necessary and right, and we’re pleased the board has recognised that the unprecedented circumstances justified the exceptional measure we took,” said spokesman Nick Clegg.

Donald Trump was booted off Facebook after the January 6 insurrection in Washington DC. Picture: AFP