Bill Gates, Microsoft founder, at the discussion “Innovation Potential in Africa, in Berlin, Germany.
photo alliance | Getty Images
Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates told CNBC that social media companies will eventually have to get rid of former President Donald Trump’s muzzle, despite his “biting” conspiracy theories about electoral fraud.
“I think at some point he will probably be allowed to and probably will again,” said Microsoft’s co-founder in an interview that aired Thursday morning.
Andrew Ross Sorkin, CNBC co-host, “Squawk Box,” had asked Gates if he would let Trump back on social media if he was on Facebook’s supervisory board.
That social media giant and others, including Twitter, had banned Trump from their platforms after spreading a series of baseless conspiracy theories and lies about his election loss against President Joe Biden.
Democrats and some Republicans have blamed Trump for fueling the January 6 riot at the Capitol, which left five people dead. The Senate fell 10 votes short on Saturday to condemn Trump during his impeachment process.
“It’s weird when you say the election was stolen without any facts there. And how biting that is,” said Gates, who also criticized the Trump administration’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
“But I bet they will find a way to let him back in,” he added, saying Trump’s future false messages could be slapped with warning labels.
“You know, in a way … people’s interest in what he’s saying can really diminish,” Gates added. “That will be interesting to watch.”
Not having social media, Trump has made fewer statements since he left the White House on Jan. 20.
Following Rush Limbaugh’s death Wednesday, Trump called Fox News for its first post-presidential telephone interview, in which he reiterated many of the false election claims that led social media companies to ban him.