Sam Tabahriti

<ul><li>Elon Musk said on Saturday night he would restore Donald Trump's Twitter account.</li><li>He's coming under fire for his decision after 51.8% voted for Trump's return in a Twitter poll.&nbsp;</li><li>The ex-president said on Saturday he wouldn't be going "anywhere" in a post on his social media app.</li></ul>

His comment to Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, came after he criticized Musk's decision in a series of tweets.&nbsp;"For <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk">@elonmusk</a> to allow Donald Trump back on Twitter, ostensibly after a brief poll, shows he is not remotely serious about safeguarding the platform from hate, harassment and misinformation."

<q>—Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1594161763859431424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2022</a></q>

Greenblatt also said: "When <a href="https://twitter.com/ADL">@ADL</a> and other <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StopHateforProfit?src=hashtag_click">#StopHateforProfit</a> leaders met with Elon Musk on 11/1, he committed to not replatform anyone, regardless of stature, until he installed a transparent, clear process that took into consideration the views of civil society."

He added that Musk's decisions "over the last month have been erratic and alarming, but this decision is dangerous and a threat to American democracy. We need to ask — is it time for Twitter to go?"

Another user quote-tweeted an October 28 post <a href="https://twitter.com/sergeyzvezda/status/1594199555486236673?s=20&amp;t=_VXrCXSSaw80EZyL4w41NA">where Musk announced</a> he would be forming a "content moderation council" before any decisions surrounding content moderation or account reinstatement are made. An MSNBC <a href="https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1594138668461072384?s=20&amp;t=lxSgux4YycE3wLyRIRXjKQ">executive producer tweeted</a>: "So much for that whole 'content moderation council'."<a href="https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1594138668461072384"></a>

<q>—Sergey Zvezda (@sergeyzvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1594199555486236673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2022</a></q>

Musk also announced on Friday that some suspended accounts <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-actors-banned-twitter-accounts-change-names-impersonate-2022-11#kathy-griffin-who-has-starred-in-several-comedy-specials-3">belonging to Kathy Griffin</a> and The Babylon Bee would be reinstated. At the time, <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1593673844996288512?s=20&amp;t=MAQyAcLz1f5GTPruD4T9Tw">he said a decision</a> regarding Trump's account had not been made yet.

But while some users have voiced their discontent over Trump's reinstatement, one person said that the 45th US president should have "all of his previous followers intact." Musk <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1594171093606141953?s=20&amp;t=_VXrCXSSaw80EZyL4w41NA">responded that engineers</a> were already working on it.

Although he said on his social media app Truth Social on Saturday that he wouldn't be "going anywhere," Trump is yet to make a statement about a return to Twitter since his account was reinstated.

The former president was banned from Twitter following the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots.

Musk said in May it was "not correct to ban Donald Trump." He told a Financial Times conference: "I think that was a mistake. It alienated the country and did not result in Donald Trump not having a voice. I think it was a morally bad decision and foolish in the extreme."

Twitter and a representative for Donald Trump didn't immediately respond to a request for comment by Insider.

Elon Musk (left) and Donald Trump.Andrew Kelly, Gaelen Morse/Reuters

Elon Musk is coming under fire for his decision to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-said-donald-trumps-twitter-account-will-be-reinstated-2022-11">lift the ban</a> on Donald Trump's <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1594131768298315777?s=20&amp;t=_VXrCXSSaw80EZyL4w41NA">Twitter account</a>, telling one <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1594197468970946560?s=20&amp;t=_VXrCXSSaw80EZyL4w41NA">tweeter:</a>&nbsp;"Hey stop defaming me!"

Elon Musk says 'Hey stop defaming me' after coming under fire for letting Donald Trump back on Twitter

<ul><li>Elon Musk's takeover means Donald Trump could now return to Twitter.</li><li>Some advertisers plan to pause their spending if that happens, The Wall Street Journal reported.</li><li>Trump was banned after using Twitter to help fuel the January 6 Capitol riots last year.</li></ul>

After paying $44 billion to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-twitter-reach-agreement-to-close-acquisition-deal-2022-10">close the deal</a> he tried to walk away from, Musk swiftly&nbsp;fired <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-fires-4-top-twitter-execs-including-ceo-parag-agrawal-2022-10">four top executives</a> including CEO Parag Agrawal and finance chief Ned Segal.

Advertisers are now weighing in as concerns over former President Donald Trump being reinstated grow.&nbsp;

Kieley Taylor, the global head of partnerships at advertising agency GroupM, told <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/elon-musk-will-face-an-early-twitter-challenge-preventing-advertiser-flight-11666871828">The Journal</a> that letting Trump tweet again would be a red line for some major brands.

About a dozen of the agency's clients had asked to pause their ads on Twitter if the former president did make a return, and Taylor expected more to be in contact if his permanent ban was lifted, the newspaper reported.

"That doesn't mean that we won't be entertaining lots of emails and phone calls as soon as a transaction goes through," Taylor told the Journal. "I anticipate we'll be busy."

Musk has called Twitter's Trump ban a "morally bad decision" and "foolish in the extreme." He said in May the ban was "a mistake because it alienated a large part of the country and did not ultimately result in Donald Trump not having a voice."&nbsp;

Trump used the platform to help fuel the January 6 <a href="https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/tweets-december-19-2020">Capitol riots last year</a> after he lost the 2020 presidential election.

Twitter said on January 8 it had <a href="https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2020/suspension">permanently suspended Trump's account</a> "due to the risk of further incitement of violence."

GroupM, Twitter, and Trump did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Mesa, Arizona on October 9.Mario Tama/Getty Images

Advertisers plan to boycott Twitter if Elon Musk allows Donald Trump back on the platform after he took control on Thursday night, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Advertisers plan to boycott Twitter if Elon Musk lets Donald Trump start tweeting again, report says

<ul><li>Musk's Twitter deal could leave banks holding $13 billion in debt, The Wall Street Journal reported.</li><li>That would make it the biggest "hung" deal and mean lenders may sell the debt when markets rebound.</li><li>Banks involved in the $44 billion takeover include Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, and Barclays.</li></ul>

People familiar with the matter told <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/elon-musks-twitter-takeover-debt-to-be-held-by-banks-amid-turbulent-markets-11666377716?mod=hp_lead_pos5">The Wall Street Journal</a> that lenders helping to fund the $44 billion deal, including Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, and Barclays, do not plan to sell the debt immediately to avoid losses of at least $500 million.&nbsp;

The Journal reported that if all the banks took such an option they could sell it at a higher value when prices rebound.

That means it could be the biggest stalled deal ever, eclipsing the billions of debt lenders were stuck with after the 2008 financial crisis.&nbsp;

The banks agreed to provide debt for Musk earlier this year before investors had been found as is custom in leveraged buyouts.

Rising interest rates and a looming recession planted seeds of doubt and Musk's public criticism of Twitter didn't help the process, according to The Journal.

Time is another factor as Musk and Twitter must close the deal by October 28 or face going to court in November.&nbsp;

Banks hope to sell some of the debt in early 2023, assuming the deal closes and market prices improve, sources told the newspaper. One person who spoke to the Journal said the debt could be divided up to make it easier to sell.&nbsp;

Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, and Barclays did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Musk's takeover has sparked criticism and concerns. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-twitter-exodus-turnover-acquisition-2022-9">Employees have left</a> the company ahead of the deal closing, and Twitter has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-no-plans-layoffs-staff-elon-musk-headcount-2022-10">denied reports</a> that the world's richest man planned to cut 75% of its workforce.

Meanwhile, the US government is considering a national <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-elon-musk-twitter-deal-government-national-security-review-report-2022-10">security review of the acquisition</a>, meaning President Joe Biden could ultimately kill the deal.

Patrick Pleul/Getty Images; Twitter; Vicky Leta/Insider

Elon Musk's Twitter deal could leave banks stuck with $13 billion in debt, making it the biggest stalled deal on record.&nbsp;

Elon Musk's Twitter takeover could leave banks holding $13 billion in debt, making it the biggest stalled deal ever, report says

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Sam Tabahriti

Articles written by the author

Elon Musk says 'Hey stop defaming me' after coming under fire for letting Donald Trump back on Twitter

Advertisers plan to boycott Twitter if Elon Musk lets Donald Trump start tweeting again, report says

Elon Musk's Twitter takeover could leave banks holding $13 billion in debt, making it the biggest stalled deal ever, report says