Trump's Twitter is personal — except when he tweets, DOJ argues
President Trump's personal Twitter is only personal sometimes.
That's what the Department of Justice claimed Tuesday in an ongoing lawsuit, fighting back against Twitter users who argue being blocked from @realDonaldTrump violates their constitutional rights. A DOJ attorney conceded that yes, Trump's tweets are official, but said when he "blocks individuals from his personal Twitter account," he "is doing so in his personal capacity," CNN reports.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A subsequent DOJ appeal brought the case back to court on Tuesday, where Judge Barrington Parker seemed to make his opinion on the matter pretty clear. Parker listed off a slew of announcements made on @realDonaldTrump that seemed pretty official, including a new Federal Reserve board member and revocation of North Korean sanctions, The Washington Post notes. "Are you seriously urging us to believe the president isn't acting in his official capacity when he’s tweeting?" Parker asked, going on to question why a public DOJ defender was representing Trump in a so-called private matter.
Trump unblocked at least 20 accounts in August, though as of Tuesday, at least seven plaintiffs in the case remain blocked.
-
High Court action over Cape Verde tourist deathsThe Explainer Holidaymakers sue TUI after gastric illness outbreaks linked to six British deaths
-
The battle over the Irish language in Northern IrelandUnder the Radar Popularity is soaring across Northern Ireland, but dual-language sign policies agitate division as unionists accuse nationalists of cultural erosion
-
Villa Treville Positano: a glamorous sanctuary on the Amalfi CoastThe Week Recommends Franco Zeffirelli’s former private estate is now one of Italy’s most exclusive hotels
-
Trump sues IRS for $10B over tax record leaksSpeed Read The president is claiming ‘reputational and financial harm’ from leaks of his tax information between 2018 and 2020
-
Trump, Senate Democrats reach DHS funding dealSpeed Read The deal will fund most of the government through September and the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks
-
Fed holds rates steady, bucking Trump pressureSpeed Read The Federal Reserve voted to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged
-
Judge slams ICE violations amid growing backlashSpeed Read ‘ICE is not a law unto itself,’ said a federal judge after the agency violated at least 96 court orders
-
Rep. Ilhan Omar attacked with unknown liquidSpeed Read This ‘small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work’
-
Democrats pledge Noem impeachment if not firedSpeed Read Trump is publicly defending the Homeland Security secretary
-
The billionaires’ wealth tax: a catastrophe for California?Talking Point Peter Thiel and Larry Page preparing to change state residency
-
Hegseth moves to demote Sen. Kelly over videospeed read Retired Navy fighter pilot Mark Kelly appeared in a video reminding military service members that they can ‘refuse illegal orders’
