Trump's YouTube account will be restored when 'risk of violence' recedes, CEO says

The CEO of YouTube says former President Donald Trump's account will be restored once the "risk of violence" passes.

“We will lift the suspension of the Donald Trump channel when we determine the risk of violence has decreased,” Susan Wojcicki said at an event hosted by the Atlantic Council.

Wojcicki said that the U.S. Capitol on Thursday warned that there was an “elevated risk of violence.” The was chatter that some were planning to storm the Capitol on March 4, but the date came and went without any violence.

"We will turn the account back on, but when we see reduced law enforcement in capitals in the U.S. and fewer [threat] warnings,” she said. “Those would be signals to us [that it is] safe to turn the channel back on.”

But she said, "It's pretty clear right now that there is still an elevated risk of violence."

The CEO of the social media site said they will look to indicators to assess the risk of violence, including statements by government officials, the readiness level of law enforcement and any violent rhetoric YouTube may observe on its own platform, Politico reported.

"YouTube initially suspended Trump’s account on Jan. 12 for at least one week due to concerns /about the ongoing potential for violence' in the wake of the Capitol riot six days earlier and later extended the restriction by one week," the political website wrote. "After that period elapsed, the company said on Jan. 26 that it was again extending the suspension but offered no timetable for it to be lifted, leaving its status indefinite."

Even though Trump's account will soon be restored, Wojcicki said, the site could permanently ban him if he earns two more strikes under YouTube's rules within 90 days.

Twitter and Facebook, also banned or suspended Trump's account after the Capitol riot, while Facebook asked its Oversight Board to consider whether to reinstate the former president's account.