ACLU says Elon Musk’s decision to reverse Trump Twitter ban ‘the right call’

On Tuesday, Elon Musk said that if he takes control of Twitter, he would like to see Donald Trump's ban lifted.

While some have criticized his decision, Musk has found an unlikely ally in the American Civil Liberties Union, a group that has long been critical of the former president and his ilk.

In a statement from ACLU executive director Anthony D. Romero, the group voiced their reaction to Musk's decision.

"You’d be hard-pressed to find a more steadfast opponent of Trump and his policies than the ACLU," Romero said, "but Elon Musk’s decision to re-platform President Trump is the right call. When a handful of individuals possess so much power over the most important forums for political speech, they should exercise that power with restraint."

Romero then suggested that if Trump violates the rules once being reinstated, Twitter should simply remove the post instead of resorting to banning someone with his standing.

"Like it or not," Romero continued, "President Trump is one of the most important political figures in this country, and the public has a strong interest in hearing his speech. Indeed, some of Trump’s most offensive tweets ended up being critical evidence in lawsuits filed against him and his administration. And we should know — we filed over 400 legal actions against him."

Musk made the comment during a virtual interview with the Financial Times.

"I do think that it was not correct to ban Donald Trump," he said. "I think that was a mistake because it alienated a large part of the country and did not ultimately result in Donald Trump not having a voice."

"I would reverse the permanent ban … I think permanent bans just fundamentally undermine trust in Twitter as a town square where everyone can voice their opinion."

"I don't own Twitter yet," he added. "So this is not like a thing that will definitely happen, because what if I don’t own Twitter?"

Trump was kicked off the platform in 2021 following the Capitol Riots, and has since taken to using official statements as well as Truth Social to reach his followers.