'I'm back': Trump returns to YouTube & FB after 2-year ban

Alphabet Inc-owned YouTube said on March 17 it lifted restrictions on former U.S. President Donald Trump's channel, following a more than two-year suspension after the deadly Capitol Hill riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Trump now has access to key vehicles for political fundraising and the ability to reach his combined 146 million followers across the three major tech platforms as he makes another run for the presidency in 2024. "We carefully evaluated the continued risk of real-world violence, while balancing the chance for voters to hear equally from major national candidates in the run up to an election." YouTube said in a tweet, referring to the move. Meta Platforms Inc had reinstated Trump's Facebook and Instagram accounts earlier this year, while his Twitter account was restored in November by new owner Elon Musk. Trump's campaign team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.