- Federal Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald ruled Wednesday that President Donald Trump does not have the right to block his critics on Twitter.
- Doing so violates the First Amendment because the president’s Twitter is considered an official government account, Reice Buchwald said.
- Chrissy Teigen, whom Trump blocked in July 2017, hilariously welcomed him back into her Twitter feed the same day.
Back in July 2017, President Donald Trump blocked model and cookbook author Chrissy Teigen on Twitter after this brief exchange:
Lolllllll no one likes you
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) July 23, 2017
The block came after what Teigen called "nine years of hating Donald J. Trump."
After 9 years of hating Donald J Trump, telling him "lol no one likes you" was the straw pic.twitter.com/MhZ6bXT1Dp
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) July 25, 2017
Teigen is far from the only Twitter user — celebrity or otherwise — who’s been cut off from following the president’s @realdonaldtrump Twitter account. But on Wednesday, Teigen and her fellow Trump critics notched a win when a federal judge in Manhattan said Trump and his communications team don’t have the right to block people on Twitter.
Doing so violates the First Amendment because Trump’s Twitter is considered an "official government account," Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald said.
Teigen, who’s been able to re-follow Trump on the social media platform, quickly welcomed him back into her Twitter feed with this post:
well well well we meet again @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/WajEXiAQVi
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) May 23, 2018
Wednesday’s court ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by seven individuals last year. The plaintiffs — who, like Teigen, had been blocked from Trump’s account after criticizing him and/or his policies — alleged the president and his communications team were infringing on their "First Amendment right to petition their government for redress of grievances."
The individuals were joined in their lawsuit by the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University.
First Amendment advocates lauded the decision on social media — even as many users, some of whom are plaintiffs in the suit, remained unable to access Trump’s Twitter account.
The people Trump blocked when the court ruling came it. pic.twitter.com/rY2kKcQyj6
— Art Wirsaw (@PettyBoot) May 24, 2018
The Federal Court ruling re. Donald Trump's Twitter violation of the First Amendment is a victory for freedom of speech. Let no man be shackled by tyranny.
— Alan Brainerd (@alanbrainerd) May 24, 2018
Today’s court ruling determined that Twitter is a Constitutional Right for ALL Americans! Censorship and Shadowbanning is now violating the Constitutional Rights of AMERICANS! #MAGA
— Sam Stamper (@SamStamper1) May 23, 2018
Since I've receive a million DMs asking, no Trump hasn't unblocked me despite yesterday's federal court ruling deeming his blocking to be unconstitutional. I expect his legal team to appeal the decision and for the @knightcolumbia case to go to the Supreme Court.
— William LeGate (@williamlegate) May 24, 2018
My interview with @Newsweek magazine about how Trump is illegally ignoring the federal judge’s ruling that blocking me is unconstitutional. https://t.co/15HT2x84H0
— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) May 24, 2018
Despite a judges ruling today, I’m still blocked by Donald Trump.
— andy lassner (@andylassner) May 24, 2018
As a strict constitutionalist and patriot, I hereby demand that the president comply with the court order.
CC: @JudgeJeanine@JudgeJudy@JudgeReinhold@MikeJudge
The Justice Department is expected to appeal the ruling.
"We respectfully disagree with the court's decision and are considering our next steps," a DOJ spokesman said, CNBC reported.
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