Trump can’t block Twitter critics, appeals court affirms

A federal appeals court ruled on Tuesday that US President Donald Trump cannot legally block users on Twitter based on their political differences with him, affirming a lower court decision.

The three-judge panel agreed with last year’s ruling by a federal judge that Trump was using “viewpoint discrimination” in violation of the constitutional rights of people with opposing views.

The court sidestepped the question of the president’s free speech rights under the constitution’s First Amendment on a privately owned internet platform, but affirmed that Trump had effectively created a public forum for official White House business.