March 17 (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Donald Trump posted to Facebook on Friday, marking his return to the social media platform two years after he was banned.
Meta Platforms (META.O), which owns Facebook and Instagram, announced on Jan. 25 that it would reinstate Trump's access to his accounts, saying the public should be allowed to hear from politicians, but that Trump would be subject to "heightened penalties" for repeated violations of its rules.
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The former president was suspended for praising rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Despite Trump's reinstatement, it had been unclear whether he would post on the accounts.
Facebook and Instagram are key vehicles for reaching voters and fundraising and could give a boost to Trump, who will make another run for the presidency in 2024. Trump had 23 million followers on Instagram and 34 million on Facebook as of Feb. 9.
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Trump's campaign spokesman told Fox News Digital in January that being back on Facebook "will be an important tool for the 2024 campaign to reach voters."
Trump founded his own social media platform called Truth Social in late 2021, which he relied on to communicate with supporters during his ban from Twitter and Meta.
Opponents of Trump's return point to the messages he has posted on Truth Social as evidence that he continues to pose the same risk that led Meta to...
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