Trump accuses Twitter of 'interfering' in election after fact-check added to mail-in ballots tweet
Twitter rolled out a fact-check feature on a tweet regarding mail-in voting ballots from President Donald Trump, drawing the president's ire and eliciting a two-tweet tirade against the social media giant by Trump.
On Tuesday, Twitter added a warning phrase to two Trump tweets that called mail-in ballots “fraudulent” and predicted that “mail boxes will be robbed,” among other things. Under the tweets, there is now a link reading “Get the facts about mail-in ballots” that guides users to a Twitter “moments” page with fact checks and news stories about Trump’s unsubstantiated claims.
When clicking on the link, Twitter users are brought to a page explaining that the president made an unsubstantiated claim regarding voter fraud. The page also provides a “What you need to know” section, which details how fact-checkers have found no evidence of voter fraud being linked to mail-in ballots, as well as clarification regarding other misinformation regarding mail ballots.
Scrolling further down the page, quotes from reputable news outlets like CNN and the Washington Post are featured, as well as tweets from verified journalists regarding Trump’s claims about voter fraud.
The new feature only appears to be available on Trump’s recent tweet regarding alleged voter fraud.
After the feature was rolled out to Trump's tweet, the president tweeted twice, accusing Twitter of "interfering in the 2020 Presidential Election." Trump went on to tweet an allegation that, "Twitter is completely stifling FREE SPEECH, and I, as President, will not allow it to happen!"
It was not immediately clear under what authority Trump could stop the social media platform from fact-checking his tweets.
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Over the weekend, the president also sent out tweets calling into question the legality of mail-in-ballots. The storm of tweets followed the president’s Facebook and Twitter posts last week that wrongly claimed Michigan’s secretary of ptate mailed ballots to 7.7 million registered voters. Trump later deleted the tweet and posted an edited version that still threatened to hold up federal funds.
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Even prior to his election and inauguration, Twitter was a popular platform for the president to share his thoughts and opinions, often lashing out at leaders, groups and celebrities he disagrees with or believes have wronged him.
But Trump’s relationship with Twitter is somewhat complicated, as the president has regularly engaged in behavior that many believe to be in violation of Twitter’s rules and conduct.
In general, Twitter has taken a hands-off approach to political leaders, contending that publishing controversial tweets from politicians helps hold them accountable and encourages discussion. Last year, it said it would consider slapping warning labels on some tweets by world leaders, noting that such individuals rules “aren’t entirely” above the rules.
Mail-in ballots, in particular, will likely be a popular voting mechanism for the 2020 election as the coronavirus pandemic, which health officials believe will make a resurgence in the fall, will likely keep many voters at home.
The move comes after years in which Twitter has declined to apply its community guidelines and other rules of the road to the 45th U.S. president. It’s too soon to tell whether this action represents a turning point for Twitter in its treatment of Trump. But the warning labels suggest that the president has finally crossed a line that the company was not willing to move for him.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.