The idea that he could tweet his way into a nuclear war with North Korea seems like a bit of a stretch, but he can certainly complicate negotiations with all sorts of countries (and probably has), move the share prices of public companies, and target people for criticism unnecessarily. But the pressure on Twitter to take action has ramped up recently, driven in part by tweets like the one Trump posted Tuesday, in which he belittled North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un and bragged about the size of his “nuclear button.”

Leaving aside the fact there is no nuclear button on the desk in the Oval Office, a number of commentators argued that this tweet was beyond the pale, and that Twitter should take action not just for the sake of other Twitter users but for the safety of the US as a whole. Twitter released a statement Friday in which it emphasized the “critical role” played by “elected world leaders” in the conversation on Twitter due to the “outsized impact” they have on society. Twitter “encourages impulsive hostility,” Friedersdorf argued (which is arguably true), and the results of such behavior are “potentially catastrophic.”

Twitter, for its part, said in a blog post published on Friday that “blocking a world leader from Twitter or removing their controversial Tweets would hide important information people should be able to see and debate. “It would also not silence that leader, but it would certainly hamper necessary discussion around their words and actions.”

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Twitter did say that it would take a look at specific tweets “within the political context that defines them,” then make decisions about enforcing its rules of conduct based on that. The company said that it does review tweets by world leaders and enforces its rules accordingly, leaving open the possibility that it could take down some material posted by them. Some Twitter users expressed support for the company’s decision, while others complained of a double standard. Even some who dislike his statements believe the remarkably uninhibited chance Twitter gives the public of to know the mind of the president is healthy for democracy.
Twitter, in response to criticism over its handling of U.S. President Donald Trump's account, says it will not block world leaders or remove their controversial tweets.