Comedienne Kathy Griffin must delete her tweets calling for violence against President Trump or get stuck in Twitter jail.
A Twitter spokeswoman confirmed to the Washington Examiner on Wednesday that Griffin’s initial tweet, advocating for somebody to plunge an air-filled syringe into Trump, violates company rules on abusive behavior.
“We’ve required the account owner to delete it before continuing back to Twitter,” the spokeswoman said in an email.
On Tuesday, Griffin tweeted about plunging a syringe “with nothing but air inside it” into Trump in reaction to a tweet from CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta that noted how the president pondered whether he should be given an insulin regimen at a White House diabetes event.
“It would do the trick,” she said, before adding, “F— TRUMP.”
In medical procedures, air accidentally injected into the body’s bloodstream through syringes or IVs can cause air embolisms, which can be fatal.
Her initial tweet is no longer visible, replaced by a message from Twitter which reads: “This Tweet is no longer available because it violated the Twitter Rules. Learn more.”
The comedienne’s last tweet was sent approximately 12 hours ago.
In response to a Washington Examiner tweet for its report on her tweet, which noted that stabbing someone with a syringe filled with air could be fatal, Griffin said she “sure did” advocate for the president to be stabbed with such a device.
I SURE DID, FUCKER. #TrumpLiedPeopleDied https://t.co/4k3F95zAMz
— Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) May 27, 2020
Griffin ended her quote tweet with “#TrumpLiedPeopleDied,” a common social media hashtag used by the president’s critics blaming him for a poor response to the coronavirus pandemic, which has been tied to nearly 100,000 deaths in the United States.
The Washington Examiner also reached out to the Secret Service about Griffin’s tweets but has not yet been given a response.
Twitter had been facing mounting pressure to take action against Griffin, including from Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr. He took aim at Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, saying the company had “no problem with Dems making death threats” against his father. This happened as the president and his allies have castigated the social media platform for putting a fact-checking label on two of his tweets about mail-in voting on Tuesday.
I don’t think past their prime comedians who tweet stupid things should be banned on here, but next time @twitter @jack bans a conservative for saying something not PC, just remember they have no problem with Dems making death threats against @realDonaldTrump on their platform. https://t.co/pOd6GXbxhV
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 27, 2020
In 2017, Griffin made headlines by posting a graphic image with her holding a decapitated head of the president, causing her to lose sponsors and tour appearances. She had co-hosted CNN’s New Year’s Eve special for years but was fired from hosting future editions amid the controversy.
Her actions also prompted a visit from the Secret Service, according to her lawyers.
“I don’t think I will have a career after this,” Griffin told reporters in tears after the photo became public. “I’m going to be honest. He broke me.”
Griffin initially apologized for the photograph, but she later withdrew her apology to the president, referring to the public outrage as “B.S.”
Both Trump and first lady Melania Trump rebuked Griffin for the photograph in 2017.
“Kathy Griffin should be ashamed of herself. My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!” Trump tweeted.
Kathy Griffin should be ashamed of herself. My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2017
“As a mother, a wife, and a human being, that photo is very disturbing. When you consider some of the atrocities happening in the world today, a photo opportunity like this is simply wrong and makes you wonder about the mental health of the person who did it,” the first lady said in a statement.
