Trump says Twitter is 'in sane hands' following Elon Musk's takeover, but dismissed returning to the platform

• Elon Musk formally closed his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter late Thursday evening.

• Donald Trump said the app is now "in sane hands" with the tech billionaire at its helm.

• The former president was permanently suspended from Twitter in January 2021.

Former President Donald Trump on Friday celebrated Elon Musk's purchase of Twitter, but said he plans to stay off the social media platform.

"I am very happy that Twitter is now in sane hands, and will no longer be run by Radical Left Lunatics and Maniacs that truly hate our country," Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social. "Twitter must now work hard to rid itself of all of the bots and fake accounts that have hurt it so badly. It will be much smaller, but better."

Later on Friday, Trump said he wouldn't return to the platform.

"I am staying on Truth," he told Fox News Digital. "I like it better, I like the way it works, I like Elon, but I'm staying on Truth."

Twitter permanently suspended Trump from its website two days after the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021, citing the "risk of further incitement of violence."

Since then, the former president has stayed active on social media through the platform he owns, Truth Social, and statements shared by his spokespeople on various platforms, including Twitter. Trump also regularly releases statements through his leadership PAC, Save America.

Musk's takeover of Twitter has sparked speculation that Trump's account might be reinstated. But even if so, the former president shut down the prospect of returning to Twitter.

Twitter and Musk formally closed on the billionaire's $44 billion acquisition offer to take the company private on Thursday. Musk now runs a total of five companies.

"The bird is freed," Musk tweeted late Thursday as he took over as chief executive.

Musk's acquisition of Twitter follows a months-long legal battle between the social media company and the billionaire, who attempted backing out of the deal over claims regarding the number of inauthentic accounts on the app.

Immediately after purchasing the app, Musk ousted some of Twitter's top executives including CEO Parag Agrawal, Chief legal officer Vijaya Gadde, and general counsel Sean Edgett, Insider previously reported.

Now, the question is what will happen to accounts such as Trump's that have been suspended by the company's former leadership.

This report has been updated with Trump's comments to stay on Truth Social. 

Read the original article on Business Insider