Twitch Reinstates Trump’s Account Ahead of 2024 Presidential Election

In a significant move ahead of the 2024 presidential election, Twitch has decided to reinstate former President Donald Trump's account.

This decision comes after the Amazon-owned platform had placed an indefinite ban on Trump’s channel in 2021. A Twitch spokesperson explained that the reinstatement is aimed at ensuring presidential nominees have a platform to share their messages directly.

Trump’s team had previously used the channel to broadcast campaign events and rallies. With the ban lifted, they can resume using Twitch for similar activities.

The original ban followed the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, prompting several tech companies, including Twitter (now X), Facebook, and YouTube, to suspend Trump’s accounts. Recently, Meta also lifted heightened suspension penalties on Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts, citing a similar rationale to Twitch’s.

It’s important to note that YouTube reinstated Trump’s account last year, while X restored his account in 2022 under Elon Musk's leadership.

Despite lifting the ban, Twitch emphasized that Trump’s account will be governed by its Community Guidelines. A company spokesperson stated, "We continue to enforce our Community Guidelines and take necessary enforcement action when we identify violations. Twitch doesn’t have a ‘public figure policy,’ meaning all channels are equally subject to our guidelines, regardless of whether the channel belongs to a public figure."