SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The powerful social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, suspended an account of Minnesota Congress member Dean Phillips overnight. This came on the eve of Phillip’s scheduled kick-off of a campaign for president. There was no explanation from X, although the site blocks accounts that violate its standards. The only recent Phillips post was a CBS television interview on his presidential aspirations. For the past year X has been owned by billionaire Elon Musk who professes an openness to just about any and all free speech but who also is quirky. After buying Twitter, Musk underscored his commitment to unfettered free speech by reinstating Donald Trump, who had been banned by Twitter’s ore-Musk management for outlandish besmirchments and serial mistruths. Phillips, from the west Minneapolis suburbs, is a centrist Democrat.
Phillips on X
The X/Twitter blackout applied only to Phillips’ presidential campaign. Still running on X were his personal account and his U.S. House account.