Spencer Platt/Getty Images
- Facebook has removed a video showing President Donald Trump spouting baseless claims that the 2020 presidential election was fraudulent.
- Facebook’s vice president of Integrity Guy Rosen said on Twitter that the firm removed it “because on balance we believe it contributes to rather than diminishes the risk of ongoing violence.”
- Trump’s video was released after violent pro-Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol, and many called for the president to demand that they retreat. He said they should “go home” in the video.
- Twitter first attached a warning label to the video saying that it cannot be liked or retweeted “due to a risk of violence.” Trump’s tweet featuring the video was later unavailable.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Facebook has removed a video of President Donald Trump in which he spouted more baseless claims of election fraud.
A recorded video was released of Trump in which he asked a group of his violent supporters to “go home” as they violently sieged the US Capitol on Wednesday. However, the majority of the video contained more of the false, baseless claims of a fraudulent 2020 presidential election that Trump has been repeating.
Facebook did not immediately respond to Business Insider’s request for comment, but Guy Rosen, Facebook’s vice president of integrity, said on Twitter that “this is an emergency situation and we are taking appropriate emergency measures, including removing President Trump’s video. We removed it because on balance we believe it contributes to rather than diminishes the risk of ongoing violence.”
The Electoral College confirmed in December that Trump indeed lost the election and that President-elect Joe Biden would be sworn into office on January 20. Lawmakers had gathered at the US Capitol on Wednesday to certify the results when violent pro-Trump extremists stormed the doors.
Twitter first attached a warning label to the post reading: “This claim of election fraud is disputed, and this Tweet can’t be replied to, Retweeted, or liked due to a risk of violence.” The tweet featuring the video is now unavailable, but it’s unclear if Twitter took direct action against the president’s account.
Both Facebook and Twitter have faced instances like this often in 2020 as the platforms sought to crack down on misinformation related to the 2020 presidential election, misleading information that was commonly spread by Trump himself. In May, for example, Twitter opted to fact-check Trump's tweet in which he said that mail-in voting will be "substantially fraudulent" and will lead to a "Rigged Election."
Twitter users earlier today called for the platform to suspend Trump's account, including actor Josh Gad and a former political advisor to President George W. Bush. Trump has been afforded certain protections on Twitter because of the firm's policies for world leaders since, according to the firm, what they say lies within the public's interest, even if they violate guidelines.
The scene at the US Capitol Wednesday descended into insurrection when pro-Trump rioters breached the federal building's doors and sauntered through offices of officials like Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Lawmakers were evacuated, and a woman who was shot in the chest inside the Capitol has died.
Senate aides were able to rescue boxes that contained the electoral votes for the 2020 election before they evacuated the Capitol. Those votes are legally required for Congress to be able to finally affirm Biden's win.
The pro-Trump attempted coup is the first time the US Capitol has been breached by a large, violent mob since the War of 1812.