Twitter adds 'abusive behaviour' warning to President Trump tweet

23 June 2020, 21:01

President Donald Trump participates in a border security briefing at United States Border Patrol Yuma Station on Tuesday
President Donald Trump participates in a border security briefing at United States Border Patrol Yuma Station on Tuesday. Picture: PA

By Megan White

Twitter has added another warning to one of President Donald Trump’s tweets, this time for violating rules on “abusive behaviour.”

The message was added after the President tweeted: “There will never be an “Autonomous Zone” in Washington, D.C., as long as I’m your President. If they try they will be met with serious force!”

The warning said: “This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about abusive behaviour. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the public’s interest for the Tweet to remain accessible.”

The President’s tweet appears to be criticising the Autonomous Zone set up in Seattle by activists in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests across the US.

They set up a police-free zone as an experiment after days of stand offs between protesters and police.

Twitter said President Trump's tweet violated rules about abusive behaviour
Twitter said President Trump's tweet violated rules about abusive behaviour. Picture: Twitter

In the wake of the move, Mr Trump claimed “domestic terrorists” were responsible for the initiative and called on the Mayor to “take back your city now.”

He wrote: “Radical Left Governor Jay Inslee and the Mayor of Seattle are being taunted and played at a level that our great Country has never seen before. Take back your city NOW. If you don’t do it, I will. This is not a game. These ugly Anarchists must be stooped IMMEDIATELY. MOVE FAST!”

The social media giant has previously flagged Mr Trump’s tweets for including doctored footage and glorifying violence.

Last month, Twitter added fact check messages to Mr Trump’s tweets for the first time after he falsely claimed mail-in ballots were fraudulent.

Mr Trump posted two tweets which claimed the ballots would be “forged” and were “substantially fraudulent.”

Twitter puts fact-check warning on Trump tweets

The President also claimed “that will be followed up with professionals telling all of these people… how, and for whom, to vote.”

But Twitter added a link to the posts which said “Get the facts about mail-in ballots.”

Following that link took users to a page which read: "Trump makes unsubstantiated claim that mail-in ballots will lead to voter fraud.

"On Tuesday, President Trump made a series of claims about potential voter fraud after California Governor Gavin Newsom announced an effort to expand mail-in voting in California during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"These claims are unsubstantiated, according to CNN, Washington Post and others.

"Experts say mail-in ballots are very rarely linked to voter fraud."