FORMER US PRESIDENT Donald Trump has had his pages on Facebook and Instagram restored today, more than two years after they were banned.

Meta, the parent company of both social media sites, banned Trump for his “praise for people engaged in violence at the Capitol on January 6, 2021″ when his supporters stormed Washington DC.

His ban came into effect the following day and Meta announced last month that it was preparing to remove Trump’s ban after what had been an “unprecedented length of time”.

One factor in Meta’s decision has been the easing of political tensions when compared to the immediate aftermath of the rioting in early 2021.

Nick Clegg, Meta’s President of Global Affairs, announced in January that “before making any decision on whether or not to lift Mr. Trump’s suspension, we would assess whether the risk to public safety has receded”. 

“The suspension was an extraordinary decision taken in extraordinary circumstances. The normal state of affairs is that the public should be able to hear from a former President of the United States, and a declared candidate for that office again, on our platforms.”

Last year Trump announced that he would launch a third campaign for the White House in 2024.

Clegg added that because Trump had violated Meta’s terms and conditions before, he will face “heightened penalties for repeat offenses” if he continues to break rules.

If Trump posts more content violating Meta’s rules his account will be suspended for between one month and two years, he added.

Meta also announced that it could take less extreme measures if it deems Trump has violated rules in more minor ways, such as by limiting the distribution of his posts and removing the ‘Share’ feature.

It will also temporarily suspend the accounts of public figures during times of civil unrest and ongoing violence similar to the 6 January riots.

There hasn’t been any activity on the former president’s Facebook or Instagram accounts since their reinstatement today.