Elon Musk begins Twitter poll on reinstating Trump's account

WASHINGTON

Twitter owner Elon Musk launched a poll Friday on the social media company asking if former US President Donald Trump should be allowed back on the platform.

"Reinstate former President Trump," Musk wrote in a post which garnered more than 4.4 million impressions at the time of publication.

More than 55% of users voted “yes,” while 44% said “no.”

Hours earlier, the American billionaire implied that he was mulling whether to reinstate Trump's Twitter account.

"Trump decision has not yet been made," tweeted Musk, as he announced three high-profile reinstatements of accounts that were banned by the social media giant.

"Kathie Griffin, Jorden Peterson & Babylon Bee have been reinstated," said Musk.

Trump had about 88.8 million followers when Twitter permanently suspended the former US president's account in January 2021, citing his role in the Jan. 6 riot at the US Capitol and the potential for more violence.

Musk had forecast a Trump return in May when he called the expulsion "morally wrong and flat-out stupid."