Trump’s Social-Media Order Attacked and Probably Won’t Work
- Liberals, conservatives say the measure targets free speech
- Order seeks to narrow liability protections for platforms
A Twitter free speech tweet by Donald Trump, on May 26
Photographer: Andrew Harrer/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
President Donald Trump unleashed an executive order targeting social media companies like Twitter Inc. that have drawn his wrath -- an effort subject to immediate doubts about its constitutionality and whether it would actually deliver its intended punch.
Yet the order on Thursday succeeded on another level for Trump. It shifted attention from his struggles responding to the coronavirus pandemic and a cratering U.S. economy. It also delivered a stark warning to the internet giants he’s tussled with since taking office, while sending an encouraging message to his political base, less than six months before the election.