Germany’s Merkel encounters a “problematic” Trump ban on Twitter

Chancellor Angela Merkel wears a protective face mask when leaving the house after speaking to the media at her annual summer press conference in Berlin on August 28, 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic.

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LONDON – German Chancellor Angela Merkel has blown Twitter’s decision to ban US President Donald Trump.

“The right to freedom of expression is of fundamental importance,” said Steffen Seibert, Merkel’s chief spokesman, to reporters in Berlin on Monday.

“In view of this, the Chancellor considers it problematic that the President’s accounts have been permanently suspended.”

Seibert said while Twitter rightly flagged Trump’s inaccurate tweets about the election, the ban on his account as a whole was a step too far.

Twitter wasn’t immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC.

Twitter made the move on Friday after the outcry over the riot on Capitol Hill. The move deprived the U.S. leader of his ability to communicate on the social media platform, which accelerated his rise to the presidency and continued to play a key role during his tenure.

Violence ensued in Washington, DC, which led to international outcry and renewed calls for Trump’s impeachment. The president had urged his supporters to protest against the solemn confirmation by Congress of Joe Biden as president.