Trump returns to Facebook

FILE PHOTO: Former U.S. President Donald Trump takes the stage to deliver remarks on education as he holds a campaign rally with supporters, in Davenport, Iowa, U.S. March 13, 2023. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

(Reuters) - Former U.S. President Donald Trump posted to Facebook on Friday, marking his return to the social media platform two years after he was banned.

Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook and Instagram, announced on Jan. 25 that it would reinstate Trump's access to his accounts, saying the public should be allowed to hear from politicians, but that Trump would be subject to "heightened penalties" for repeated violations of its rules.