The Wall Street Journal on Thursday published an op-ed, ostensibly written by former President Donald Trump, in support of his lawsuit — unveiled Wednesday — alleging that Facebook, Google, and Twitter are violating his First Amendment rights by banning his accounts for inciting the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.
"One of the gravest threats to our democracy today is a powerful group of Big Tech corporations that have teamed up with government to censor the free speech of the American people," the op-ed begins. "This is not only wrong—it is unconstitutional. To restore free speech for myself and for every American, I am suing Big Tech to stop it..."
"This coercion and coordination is unconstitutional," Trump continues. "The Supreme Court has held that Congress can't use private actors to achieve what the Constitution prohibits it from doing itself. In effect, Big Tech has been illegally deputized as the censorship arm of the U.S. government. This should alarm you no matter your political persuasion. It is unacceptable, unlawful and un-American."
Critics on Twitter slammed both the op-ed itself and WSJ's decision to publish it.
@WSJ Who is the ghost writer on this article? No fucking way Trump put words together.— The Old Heffalump (@The Old Heffalump) 1625763818.0
Trump screams “I AM BEING CENSORED!” from the editorial page of a mainstream international media outlet. Shame on… https://t.co/WBWuUSSmLk— Leah McElrath 🏳️🌈 (@Leah McElrath 🏳️🌈) 1625762937.0
@WSJ tremendous article, the greatest article ever, so many words, only the best words ...— Tobias Burri (@Tobias Burri) 1625763690.0
@WSJopinion the first WSJ opinion written in crayon.— ElJefe45 (@ElJefe45) 1625763099.0
It's not the biggest takeaway from Trump's op-ed (the biggest has to do with what WSJ opinion has become) but it wa… https://t.co/lxtusyB81d— Brandon Ambrosino (@Brandon Ambrosino) 1625764644.0
@for_newman @WSJopinion Rupert Murdoch owns WSJ.— Rambauxx (@Rambauxx) 1625763693.0
The only thing more absurd than Donald Trump’s lawsuit against “Big Tech” on “free speech” grounds is the @WSJ expe… https://t.co/pdkTecTgT5— Roger Sherman (@Roger Sherman) 1625764535.0
@WSJopinion And again, reminding me why I canceled my WSJ subscription— Dr. Nick (@Dr. Nick) 1625763005.0
Should the WSJ editorial page be hosting someone they condemned for attempting to subvert democracy? Donald J. Trum… https://t.co/0H77cjnsUX— Mona Charen (@Mona Charen) 1625765299.0
Donald J. Trump did not write a single word of this column. WSJ really thinks we’re idiots. How about you stop pl… https://t.co/AhcwwfrP5Y— DEMS in Disarray? 🤣 😎 🏳️🌈 (@DEMS in Disarray? 🤣 😎 🏳️🌈) 1625763669.0
Many people also noted that Trump having a column published in the Wall Street Journal undermined his claims of being censored and "canceled."
Of course they can censor me! I’m a person using their product for free! They are a private company! https://t.co/uSYXSgyuW4— Ben Dreyfuss (@Ben Dreyfuss) 1625765734.0
@WSJopinion "I'm being censored" writes man in a guest column reprinted in one of the world's largest newspapers. "… https://t.co/cUFhMjbBSz— mausmalone (@mausmalone) 1625766087.0
"I'm being censored," cries the former president in the 2nd widest circulated newspaper in America. Yup, that's tot… https://t.co/n6I8UAvPr7— Jon Robert Rathburne Eugene Harold 🏴🖤 (@Jon Robert Rathburne Eugene Harold 🏴🖤) 1625763403.0
“I’m being censored!” he screams in an op-Ed published in one of the biggest newspapers in the world. https://t.co/UZpgS6vrq4— Jon Fassnacht (@Jon Fassnacht) 1625763600.0
@WSJopinion Donald Trump is complaining about censorship by *checks notes* writing an op-ed in the Wall Street Jour… https://t.co/DZlhkPtgOE— Brandon Hieb (@Brandon Hieb) 1625763535.0
