Update (last updated 11/6/23): This piece has been updated with additional examples of previously suspended right-wing Twitter accounts that have been reinstated under Elon Musk's leadership.
Elon Musk is unilaterally reinstating banned Twitter accounts, despite assuring civil rights groups and advertisers that he wouldn’t
Musk has reinstated dozens of previously banned right-wing accounts, including those of Donald Trump, Project Veritas, and Marjorie Taylor Greene
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Since acquiring Twitter, embattled CEO Elon Musk has assured civil rights leaders and advertisers that he would maintain content moderation policies and create clear processes for reinstating previously banned accounts. Less than a month into his ownership, Musk has single-handedly reinstated at least 11 right-wing accounts, including former President Donald Trump.
After Musk officially acquired Twitter on October 27, previously banned users quickly celebrated his ownership, as Musk interacted with right-wing figures responsible for spreading extremism on the platform. Right-wing extremists immediately started testing Twitter's limits, flooding it with racist and anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, while QAnon conspiracy theorists also started rejoining the platform. (QAnon-supporting accounts were suspended from Twitter in July 2020 due to the real-world harms associated with the conspiracy theory.)
A day after acquiring Twitter, Musk announced that he would be forming a “content moderation council” before reinstating any previously banned accounts.
On November 2, Musk further assured civil rights leaders that there would be a clear process before allowing previously banned accounts back onto the platform.
Musk has also tried to reassure Twitter advertisers — which reportedly account for 90% of the company’s revenue — that the platform would remain “warm and welcoming to all,” proclaiming, “Twitter aspires to be the most respected advertising platform in the world.” (Media Matters has previously reported that the 20 companies that spent the most on Twitter advertising since January 1 paid the platform an estimated $358 million combined.) During a Twitter Spaces broadcast on November 9, Musk again addressed advertisers’ concerns about hate speech and misinformation on Twitter, claiming that the company hasn’t made any changes to its content moderation policies.
Regardless of these assurances, Musk unilaterally reinstated at least 11 high-profile right-wing accounts that were previously banned from Twitter, including Trump, seemingly taking direction from right-wing figures like Benny Johnson.
On November 18, Musk declared it was “Freedom Friday,” reinstating right-wing accounts of Jordan Peterson and the Babylon Bee and creating a poll to ask users if he should reinstate Trump.
Musk reinstated Trump after his unreliable and unscientific Twitter poll ended on November 19.
Twitter permanently suspended Trump from the platform in January 2021 after he used it to incite and encourage the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Right-wing media have been calling on Musk to reinstate Trump since it was revealed in April that he owned a major stake in the company. Allowing Trump back on the platform ignores his previous social media behavior — in which the former president regularly pushed harmful misinformation and extreme rhetoric — and his continued promotion of election misinformation.
Musk has seemingly prioritized right-wing content and users, reinstating previously suspended accounts of white nationalists, anti-Muslim extremists, and people who participated in the January 6 insurrection, among other misinformers. On December 16, Musk reinstated at least a dozen right-wing accounts, including election conspiracy theorists Patrick Byrne and Mike Lindell, Project Veritas founder James O’Keefe, anti-Muslim blogger Pamela Geller, former Newsmax reporter Emerald Robinson, far-right outlet Gateway Pundit, QAnon supporters Mindy Robinson and Shiva Ayyadurai, right-wing preacher Greg Locke, extremist commentator Wayne Allyn Root, white nationalist Jaden McNeil, and anti-vaccine figure Larry Cook.
Musk has continued to reinstate other right-wing accounts since November 18, when he declared “Freedom Friday” on Twitter. Those previously suspended accounts include:
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA)
Greene’s personal account was reinstated on November 21, after it was banned in January for violating the platform’s COVID-19 misinformation policies. Greene is a known Sandy Hook and Parkland conspiracy theorist who has repeatedly pushed violent and extreme rhetoric, including the QAnon conspiracy theory.
Project Veritas
On November 20, right-wing organization Project Veritas had its account reinstated after it was permanently suspended in 2021 “for repeated violations of Twitter’s private information policy.” (Project Veritas founder James O’Keefe was also permanently suspended in 2021, but his account has not yet been reinstated.) The organization previously tried to evade its ban, using a “distribution by proxy” strategy and relying on its network of supporters, including anti-LGBTQ account “Libs of TikTok,” to spread its content.
ALX
Right-wing personality Alex Lorusso (known as ALX) was permanently suspended from Twitter in 2020 for violating the platform’s “manipulation and spam policy, specifically creating accounts to replace or mimic a suspended account.” Following Trump’s reinstatement, right-wing figures called for ALX to be reinstated, which was granted on November 19.
James Lindsay
Anti-LGBTQ figure James Lindsay was permanently banned from Twitter after repeated violations of its terms of service, including its rules against hateful conduct. Lindsay was reinstated on November 21 and has already repeatedly used the platform to perpetuate the vile right-wing hate campaign smearing trans people as “groomers.”
Andrew Tate
Misogynist Andrew Tate was banned from Twitter in 2017 after saying that rape victims “bear some responsibility” for putting themselves in a position to be assaulted, and he has since been banned from Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Tate was seemingly reinstated on Twitter on November 18, when he started posting again on the platform, and later called Musk “a legend.”
Juanita Broaddrick
Right-wing figure Juanita Broaddrick was banned from Twitter in April after she posted COVID-19 vaccine misinformation. Broaddrick’s account was reinstated on November 21.
Savanah Hernandez
Turning Point USA contributor Savanah Hernandez was initially banned from Twitter in 2020, but she claims to have repeatedly and unsuccessfully tried to evade that ban. On November 21, her original count was reinstated.
Meghan Murphy
Trans-exclusionary radical feminist Meghan Murphy was banned from Twitter for intentionally misgendering and deadnaming a transgender person. Spotify’s right-wing podcaster Joe Rogan reportedly called on Musk to allow Murphy back on Twitter. Murphy’s account was reinstated on November 20 and she has already pushed anti-trans rhetoric.
Laura Loomer
Laura Loomer, a conspiracy theorist, has previously described herself as a “proud Islamophobe” who is “pro-white nationalism” and was banned from Twitter in 2018 for making anti-Muslim attacks against Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN). After she was reinstated on December 8, Loomer tweeted that Musk “has finally unchained me from the doors of Twitter HQ,” referencing her bizarre 2018 protest over the suspension.
Roger Stone
Trump ally and self-proclaimed dirty trickster Roger Stone supported Trump’s claim that the 2020 election was stolen, promoted violence ahead of the January 6 insurrection, and has spread conspiracy theories about 9/11. He was banned from Twitter in 2017 after threatening multiple CNN reporters. Stone tried to rejoin the platform in April 2022, when Musk was still in the process of buying Twitter, but was quickly suspended again. On December 7, Stone was officially reinstated and thanked Musk for his “commitment to fairness and free speech.”
Baked Alaska
White nationalist Tim Gionet, known by his online name Baked Alaska, was suspended from Twitter in 2017 for violating the platform’s hateful conduct policy. Gionet participated in the white nationalist Unite the Right rally, and he has pleaded guilty to charges related to his involvement in the January 6 insurrection. After thanking Musk for reinstating his account on December 11, Gionet called for white supremacist Nick Fuentes and rapper Ye – who has been suspended from Twitter for antisemitism – to be allowed back on the platform.
Robert Malone
Anti-vaccine figure Dr. Robert Malone — who claims to have created mRNA vaccines and has since casted doubt on their efficacy and safety with the help of right-wing media — was banned from Twitter in December 2021 for spreading COVID-19 misinformation. Malone’s December 12, 2022, reinstatement comes after Twitter announced it would no longer enforce its COVID-19 misinformation policy. Less than a day after being reinstated, Malone used his platform to promote his anti-vaccine book, spread COVID-19 misinformation, and encourage his 645,000 followers to subscribe to his Substack, which he primarily uses to advance his anti-vaccine agenda.
Peter McCullough
Dr. Peter McCullough, a COVID-19 misinformer whose medical certifications are reportedly in the process of being stripped, was banned from Twitter on October 6, 2022, for violating the platform’s COVID-19 misinformation policies. Two months later on December 13, McCullough’s account was reinstated on Twitter, which is no longer moderating COVID-19 misinformation under Musk’s leadership. Upon reinstatement, McCullough promised over 678,000 followers that he would “let the world hear the medical truth ... on the pandemic and more!” He was also quick to undermine vaccines and attack Dr. Anthony Fauci, and he promoted his accounts on other social media platforms where he continued to push medical misinformation throughout his brief Twitter ban.
Carpe Donktum
Pro-Trump meme account Carpe Donktum was banned from Twitter in June 2020 for copyright infringement. It was seemingly reinstated on December 28, 2022, when the account thanked right-wing figures Jack Posobiec, ALX, Benny Johnson, Tim Pool, and Ian Miles Cheong for “repeatedly petitioning @elonmusk for my reinstatement.” The account has used its renewed platform to mock Sen. John Fetterman’s (D-PA) recovery following a stroke and to attack climate activist Greta Thunberg.
DeAnna Lorraine Tesoriero
Former Infowars host, QAnon supporter, and failed congressional candidate DeAnna Lorraine Tesoriero “was permanently suspended for repeated violations of the Twitter Rules” on November 3, 2020. Tesoriero has yet to tweet since being reinstated, but posts containing misinformation about the 2020 election remain live on her account.
David Icke
British conspiracy theorist David Icke was banned from Twitter in November 2020 for violating the platform’s COVID-19 misinformation policies. His account was seemingly reinstated on January 3. Icke has yet to tweet since being reinstated, but posts undermining COVID-19 mitigation efforts and attacking Dr. Anthony Fauci remain on his account.
The Christian Post
After it was suspended from Twitter in March 2022 for using transphobic rhetoric against U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel Levine, conservative evangelical outlet The Christian Post was reinstated on December 31. The account thanked Musk for the reinstatement and has continued to push transphobic content.
Liz Crokin
QAnon conspiracy theorist Liz Crokin was banned from Twitter in 2018 after baselessly accusing author J.K. Rowling of being involved with child sex abuse — a claim related to the QAnon and Pizzagate conspiracy theories. Though she has yet to tweet since being reinstated, Crokin’s Twitter bio explicitly promotes QAnon and Pizzagate, claiming “Pizzagate & Pedogate are REAL!” and encouraging users to “Follow #QAnon.” Crokin’s reinstatement comes after users petitioned Musk on her behalf.
Michael Flynn
Disgraced former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn was banned from Twitter on January 8, 2021, for using his account to promote QAnon, a conspiracy theory he has appeared to support. Flynn’s account was seemingly reinstated nearly two years later on January 6 after users called on Musk to overturn his suspension. Though he has yet to tweet since being reinstated, Flynn’s account has been restored with tweets that push misinformation about the 2020 election.
Ali Alexander
“Stop the Steal” organizer Ali Alexander was banned from Twitter on January 11, 2021, following his involvement in the January 6 insurrection. Alexander's account was seemingly reinstated on January 9. Months before, Alexander celebrated Musk’s acquisition of Twitter and suggested that Musk would unsuspended his account. He has yet to tweet on his restored platform, but Alexander's Twitter bio brags about organizing an attempt to overthrow the U.S. government, and his tweets directing the rioters where to go during the attempted coup remain live.
Ron Watkins
Former congressional candidate Ron Watkins, who some allege was one of the progenitors of the QAnon conspiracy theory, was banned from Twitter on January 8, 2021, for violating the platform's “coordinated harmful activity” policy. He was seemingly reinstated on January 10 of this year. Watkins heavily pushed misinformation about the 2020 election, and while he has yet to post on his renewed Twitter platform, posts containing this type of misinformation remain live on his account.
Team Trump
Former President Donald Trump’s campaign account @TeamTrump was banned on January 9, 2021, for sharing a statement on behalf of the former president after he was already suspended from Twitter. The account was seemingly reinstated on January 10. While it has yet to tweet, the account seems to have been reinstated with all of its tweets, including those that contain election misinformation.
Sherri Tenpenny
Member of the “Disinformation Dozen” Sherri Tenpenny, who has links to QAnon, was banned from Twitter in July 2021 for violating the platform’s COVID-19 misinformation policy (which, under Musk's leadership, it will no longer enforce). Tenpenny’s account was seemingly reinstated on January 10 of this year. She has used her reinstated platform to falsely claim that the “Disinformation Dozen” were unfairly targeted, using the hashtag "#WeAreMoreThan12" to seemingly push the idea that their misinformed beliefs have widespread support. Additionally, Tenpenny has continued to undermine COVID-19 vaccines and posts from before her ban that spread misinformation are still live.
Stella Immanuel
On January 10, after being banned seemingly in March 2021, anti-vax Dr. Stella Immanuel thanked Musk for reinstating her account. Immanuel was one of the first to baselessly claim that hydroxychloroquine — an anti-malaria drug — cures COVID-19. Despite evidence suggesting that the drug is in fact “unlikely to be effective in treating COVID-19,” she has used her reinstated Twitter platform to continue to push this misinformation. Additionally, Immanuel, who has previously endorsed aspects of the QAnon conspiracy theory, has used her renewed platform to promote her appearance at the QAnon-affiliated Reawaken America Tour.
RedPill78
QAnon influencer Zak Paine, known by his online name RedPill78, was banned from Twitter in October 2020. Paine was reinstated on January 12 of this year after other users, including right-wing blogger and conspiracy theorist Matt Couch, called for Musk to reverse his ban. Despite still being banned on most other major social media platforms, Paine’s Twitter account was seemingly restored with all of his old tweets, including one that encouraged people to follow him on alternative platforms “before Twitter deletes me too.”
Patel Patriot
QAnon figure and conspiracy theorist Jon Herold, known online as Patel Patriot, was banned from Twitter prior to Musk’s takeover in October. Since then, it appears Herold has attempted to evade his ban, creating at least two new accounts. His most recent account, which was seemingly created on November 21, 2022, appears to have been suspended in December 2022 and then reinstated on January 9. Since being reinstated, Herold has used his Twitter platform to promote his conspiracy theory-laden shows, one of which he hosts with fellow QAnon influencer Paine.
Shadygrooove
Shannon Townsend, known online as “Shadygrooove” and co-host of the QAnon-promoting MatrixxxGrooove Show, appears to have been banned from Twitter in 2020. Townsend’s first tweet after being reinstated on January 10 included the QAnon slogan “WWG1WGA.” Townsend has used his restored platform to retweet his old posts that push the QAnon conspiracy theory and petition Musk to reinstate the account of his podcast co-host, Jeffrey Pedersen, who is also a QAnon adherent.
SGT Report
The account for Sean Turnbull’s QAnon show SGT Report has been banned from many social media and e-commerce platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Patreon. In addition to promoting the QAnon conspiracy theory, the show has pushed antisemitic content on its website. On January 14, conspiracy theorist and former Fox Nation host Lara Logan called on Musk to reinstate SGT Report’s Twitter account. The next day, SGT Report tweeted — for the first time since January 8, 2021 — and gave “sincere thanks to @laralogan for tweeting directly to @elonmusk about restoring my account.”
Nick Fuentes
White nationalist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes was seemingly reinstated to Twitter on January 24. Fuentes was originally banned from the platform in July 2021 for “repeated violations” of its rules. In October 2022, after celebrating Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, Fuentes created a new account and attempted to rejoin the platform but was banned again. His reinstatement comes after another white nationalist petitioned Musk to reverse the suspension, and it has already been celebrated by far-right figures. After joining rapper Ye during his pro-Nazi and antisemitic tirade on Infowars, Fuentes is now using his Twitter bio to express his support for the rapper, writing “YE24.”
Patrick Howley
White nationalist and antisemite Patrick Howley was seemingly reinstated to Twitter on January 24. Prior to being banned in May 2022, Howley — a frequent guest on right-wing media and writer for far-right blog the National File — used his account to push bigotry and antisemitism. On his renewed platform, Howley has praised Fuentes’ reinstatement while also attacking a former Twitter attorney, and he has pushed COVID-19 misinformation.
Erin Elizabeth
Anti-vaccine figure and member of the “Disinformation Dozen” Erin Elizabeth is known by her blog, Health Nut News, and has had at least two Twitter accounts. Both accounts were seemingly banned from Twitter in October 2022, when at least one of the accounts allegedly violated the platform’s rules against hateful conduct. After multiple users called for Musk to reverse her ban, at least one of Elizabeth’s accounts was seemingly reinstated on January 24. Elizabeth has used her restored platform to amplify content that undermines the COVID-19 vaccine — and old tweets with this type of content remain live on her account. (As of January 24, Elizabeth’s other account is still suspended.)
Ben Tapper
Anti-vaccine chiropractor and member of the “Disinformation Dozen” Ben Tapper was seemingly banned from Twitter some time after July 12, 2021, when his last tweet pushed a conspiracy theory about COVID-19 vaccines. Tapper was seemingly reinstated on January 17, after other anti-vaccine figures called on Musk to reinstate him, and another member of the Disinformation Dozen celebrated his return to the platform. Tapper’s account was reinstated with old tweets that undermine the COVID-19 vaccine, and he is already back to tweeting similar content.
Bill Mitchell
Pro-Trump pundit and QAnon adherent Bill Mitchell was banned from Twitter in August 2020 for “using one account to evade the suspension of another account.” Mitchell’s account was seemingly reinstated on January 17. Since being reinstated, Mitchell has continued to hype his brand of conservative punditry, and he has retweeted right-wing accounts that have cited Twitter’s new CEO in an attempt to undermine the COVID-19 vaccine and falsely suggest it is dangerous.
Rizza Islam
Social media influencer and member of the anti-vax “Disinformation Dozen” Rizza Islam — who also promotes antisemitism and anti-LGBTQ bigotry — was seemingly banned from Twitter some time after May 2021, which is when he last tweeted. Though he has yet to tweet, Islam’s account was seemingly reinstated on January 25, after multiple users called for Musk to reverse his ban. While his primary account was banned on Twitter, Islam seemingly created another account in October 2022 that he has used to undermine COVID-19 vaccines and call for his reinstatement.
Clandestine
After pushing a baseless conspiracy theory about Ukrainian biolabs, QAnon-supporting Twitter account “Clandestine” — identified by the ADL as Jacob Creech — was banned from the platform in February 2022. The account was seemingly reinstated on January 27, with its first tweet back asking Elon Musk, “Are the Biolabs in Ukraine still a conspiracy theory?” Following its reinstatement, the account claimed that Twitter “undeleted the infamous thread that started it all” and began to push a new conspiracy theory about Ukrainian biolabs — which is already being amplified by right-wing Twitter users.
Sidney Powell
Former Trump attorney Sidney Powell — a QAnon-affiliated conspiracy theorist who was heavily involved in the effort to overturn the 2020 election — was banned from Twitter on January 8, 2021, during the platform’s effort to purge QAnon-promoting accounts. Powell was seemingly reinstated on January 31 of this year. While she has yet to tweet on her renewed platform, Powell’s account has been restored with her more than 900,000 followers, as well as her previous posts that push misinformation about the 2020 election.
Lin Wood
Trump and QAnon-supporting attorney Lin Wood was banned from Twitter for “ban evasion” one day after being temporarily suspended for violating the platform’s policy against inciting violence on January 6, 2021. Wood’s account was seemingly reinstated on February 9 with nearly 850,000 followers and a QAnon slogan in his bio. Though he has yet to tweet again, Wood’s previous posts that push conspiracy theories about the January 6 insurrection and claim former Vice President Mike Pence “conspired” to “overthrow our government” remain live on his account.
Jack Burkman
Conservative operative and conspiracy theorist Jack Burkman — who was convicted of running a voter suppression campaign during the 2020 election — was banned from Twitter in March 2020 for spreading coronavirus misinformation. Burkman’s account was seemingly reinstated on February 14 of this year. He used his first tweet back on his renewed platform to call for his co-conspirator Jacob Wohl to be reinstated on Twitter and to promote his new online show Predator DC, which feeds into the baseless QAnon conspiracy theory. Burkman’s account was reinstated, along with his previous tweets, including multiple from 2020 that undermined COVID-19 mitigation efforts. Since being reinstated, Burkman has pushed anti-LGBTQ bigotry and criticized Nikki Haley for running for president because she is a woman.
InTheMatrixxx
QAnon influencer Jeffrey Pedersen, known online as “inTheMatrixxx”, appears to have been banned from Twitter sometime after January 8, 2021. After his podcast co-host Shadygrooove and multiple other users petitioned Musk, Pedersen’s account was seemingly reinstated on March 22. Before his suspension, Pedersen pushed misinformation about the 2020 election — and many tweets he sent or retweeted with such misinformation are live on his reinstated platform. Additionally, since being back on Twitter, Pedersen has promoted his QAnon show.
The Kate Awakening
Kate Buckley — member of the QAnon influencer collective We The Media who is known online as “Kate Awakening” — was seemingly banned from Twitter on January 8, 2021, during the platform’s attempt to remove accounts that “were primarily dedicated to sharing QAnon content.” Buckley’s account appears to have been reinstated on March 22, along with the account for Badlands Media — a QAnon channel that she co-founded. In the two days since her return to Twitter, Buckley has pushed anti-LGBTQ bigotry and amplified COVID-19 misinformation. Additionally, previous tweets containing election misinformation are live on her reinstated account.
Patriot Streetfighter
QAnon figure Scott McKay — known online as “Patriot Streetfighter” — appears to have been banned from Twitter in August 2022. On March 28, he announced via his Telegram account that he was reinstated on Twitter. Before being banned, McKay seemingly used his Twitter account to primarily promote his QAnon-supporting show on Rumble. He also previously pushed COVID-19 vaccine misinformation, promoted the QAnon-linked Christian nationalist conference ReAwaken America tour, and celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade — all of which remain live on the reinstated account.
Praying Medic
QAnon conspiracy theorist Dave Hayes — known online as the prominent Q “decoder” Praying Medic — was banned from Twitter following the January 6 insurrection. On April 27, Hayes announced on his Telegram that he was reinstated on Twitter, telling his followers, “If you’ve been suspended, keep appealing the suspension.” Hayes first tweeted on April 28, sharing an “email testimony” and a link to his Telegram account. Hayes has called for a military coup against President Joe Biden, and old tweets containing election misinformation remain live on his account.
Paul Nehlen
Former congressional candidate Paul Nehlen — who according to the SPLC is “one of the most high-profile advocates of terrorism in America today” — was suspended from Twitter in February 2018 after posting a racist meme about Meghan Markle. Prior to being suspended, Nehlen had increasingly used his Twitter account to peddle racism and antisemitism. On May 29, Musk reportedly reinstated Nehlen’s account. While he has yet to post, Nehlen’s account was reinstated with many of his previous racist, antisemitic, and anti-immigrant tweets.
