Judge dismisses Trump's lawsuit against Twitter

A judge dismissed a lawsuit former President Trump brought last year against Twitter and its then-CEO Jack Dorsey. The social media giant had sought to dismiss the suit, which Trump filed after Twitter banned him from its platform, for "failure to plausibly state a claim."

Trump, the American Conservative Union and five other people claimed Twitter violated their right to free speech under the First Amendment after it "censored" their accounts. U.S. District Judge for Northern California James Donato rejected their argument because Twitter is a private company, and the free speech clause in the Constitution applies only to the government. The judge found no evidence that Twitter acted on behalf of government officials, as plaintiffs also alleged.

The plaintiffs also accused Twitter of violating two Florida acts — the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act and the Stop Social Media Censorship Act. The lawsuit, which was originally filed in Florida, was moved to Northern California, where Twitter is located.