Musk made the announcement in the evening after holding a poll that asked Twitter users to click “yes” or “no” on whether Trump’s account should be restored.
The “yes” vote won, with 51.2 per cent.
But within minutes of Musk announcing the Trump ban was reversed, Republican and Democrat politicians in the US offered their views on Twitter.
Some Democrats and a handful of Republicans slammed Musk’s decision.
“I’m disgusted,” Senator Jeff Merkley, from Oregon, wrote.я╗┐
Democrat я╗┐Rep. Bill Pascrell, of New Jersey, called on Twitter users to remember the January 6, 2021, riots.
“682 days ago insurrectionists ransacked the US Capitol and hours later 68 per cent of House republicans voted to finish the rioters’ job and make trump a dictator,” Pascrell wrote.
And я╗┐Rep. Liz Cheney, the Republican who has stridently opposed Trump, urged people to watch the January 6 hearing in Congress.
“With Trump back on Twitter, it’s a good time to watch this Jan 6 hearing. It covers each of Trump’s tweets that day, including those that have been deleted, and features multiple Trump WH staff describing his inexcusable conduct during the violence,” Cheney wrote on Twitter.
But some of Trump’s Republican allies welcomed him back on Twitter.
“Welcome back, @realDonaldTrump!” an account for Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee wrote on Twitter.я╗┐
Republican Rep. Troy Nehls, of Texas, wrote on Twitter: “2023 is going to be great. 2024 will be better.”
Arizona Republican Rep. Paul Gosar welcomed Trump back to the platform, writing: “He’s back.”
And Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene declared he should have “never been banned in the first place”.
Many Twitter user said they were abhored by the decision to reactivate Trump’s account and even said they would leave Twitter.
“Horror show .. I’m out,” another person tweeted.
“Then I am done with Twitter. More people voted against him for president. Do the math,” another said.я╗┐
Trump’s reinstatement came at the end of a stormy week for Twitter.
The company is running on a skeleton staff, after Musk fired half the workforce just days after buying the company.
Then hundreds more quit later in the week after a Musk ultimatum that staff either commit to “hardcore” working practices or resign.
It is not clear whether Trump would actually return to Twitter.
An irrepressible tweeter before he was banned, Trump has said in the past that he would not rejoin even if his account was reinstated.
Donald Trump announces he’s running for president in 2024
He has been relying on his own, much smaller social media site, Truth Social, which he launched after being blocked from Twitter.
The prospect of restoring Trump’s presence to the platform follows Musk’s purchase last month of Twitter тАФ an acquisition that has fanned widespread concern that the billionaire owner will allow purveyors of lies and misinformation to flourish on the site.
Musk has frequently expressed his belief that Twitter had become too restrictive of freewheeling speech.
– Reported with Associated Pressя╗┐
