
<p id="h-topline"><strong>TOPLINE</strong> YouTube has removed two videos from independent journalists documenting the Capitol riots, including one from a progressive news outlet, causing frustration that the Google-owned company’s efforts to combat right-wing misinformation is harming good-faith journalism.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h3>



<ul><li>YouTube removed a video Wednesday from progressive news outlet Status Coup depicting a Capitol police officer getting crushed in a doorway by rioters, which has since been licensed by <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/09/us/officer-crushed-capitol-riot-video/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CNN </a>and the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2021/jan/10/police-officer-crushed-in-doorway-by-rioters-during-capitol-breach-video" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Guardian</em></a>.</li></ul>



<ul><li>YouTube also took down a video from independent journalist Ford Fischer, who uploaded footage from former President Donald Trump’s speech and the crowd’s reaction before rioters stormed the Capitol—a key moment in the impeachment complaint against Trump.</li></ul>



<ul><li>In notices to both channels, YouTube stated that “content that advances false claims that widespread fraud, errors, or glitches changed the outcome of the U.S. 2020 presidential election is not allowed on YouTube.”</li></ul>



<ul><li>Both Fischer and Status Coup co-founder Jordan Chariton told <em>Forbes </em>they were baffled and angry that YouTube can’t tell the difference between raw footage meant to document a historical event and bad-faith conspiracy theorists intentionally promoting misinformation about the election.  </li></ul>



<ul><li>It’s unclear if YouTube’s algorithm mistakenly flagged both videos in the first place, but in a series of <a href="https://twitter.com/TeamYouTube/status/1356760557454389249?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tweets </a>the company said Fischer’s videos don’t “include countervailing views or sufficient context of the claims made in the footage” and then demonized his entire account. (YouTube did not immediately respond to a request for comment from <em>Forbes </em>and it has not responded publicly to Status Coup).</li></ul>



<ul><li>That policy, though, doesn’t appear to be enforced against news outlets, such as <a href="https://youtu.be/5fiT6c0MQ58" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBCNews </a>and the <a href="https://youtu.be/pUXRd2zRVBA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Telegraph</em></a>, that have uploaded the speech in full without any additional reporting or context.</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h3>



<p>Following the election, YouTube was criticized for moving slower than other platforms in addressing election misinformation. It wasn’t until December when it decided to ban content disputing the election results. And after the January 6 attack, which was caused by conspiracy theories about the election, both Twitter and Facebook banned Trump indefinitely, while it took Youtube a week to announce a suspension. Still, all of the major social media networks have drawn outrage from Republicans and other&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/01/11/problematic-and-perplexing-european-leaders-side-with-trump-over-twitter-ban/?sh=7d8f98313b59">critics&nbsp;</a>who say Big Tech is exerting too much control over the internet. Some already&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90592060/capitol-attack-fascism-surveillance-censorship" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warned</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/mtaibbi/status/1357148730496069640?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">crackdowns&nbsp;</a>could lead to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/big-tech-censorship-left-conservative-purge-jason-rantz" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">unintended&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.jacobinmag.com/2021/01/censorship-big-tech-facebook-twitter" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">consequences</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chief-critics">CHIEF CRITICS</h3>



<p>YouTube’s treatment of Status Coup has caused Chariton to&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/JordanChariton/status/1357066676546723841?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rethink&nbsp;</a>how tech companies handle misinformation. After the Capitol attack, Chariton thought that outlets spreading conspiracy theories should be “taken off the air.” But now he&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/JordanChariton/status/1357067605413101573?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">says&nbsp;</a>those “not directly calling for people to commit violence” have the “right to spew misinformation and/or conspiracies dressed up as journalism.” “You can&#8217;t have Silicon Valley platforms that are frankly making decisions to avoid regulation determining through their algorithm what is and isn&#8217;t trustworthy news,” he said.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Fischer said his video, which showed the crowd chanting “fight for Trump” before the attack, is crucial for the public to see because Trump will stand trial in the Senate over whether he incited the riot.&nbsp;<a href="https://carrcenter.hks.harvard.edu/people/jay-ulfelder" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jay Ulfelder</a>, a fellow at Harvard’s Carr Center for Human Rights Policy,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/FordFischer/status/1357098264395448324?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wrote&nbsp;</a>in an email to YouTube that Fischer’s videos also “serve as crucial archival material for future scholars looking to get a better sense of what happened than our data or other news sources can provide.”</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h3>



<p>This isn’t the first time YouTube has taken action against both Fischer and Status Coup. In 2019, Fischer was <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelsandler/2019/06/06/in-searching-for-middle-ground-youtube-angers-everyone/?sh=4dc666c524b5">demonetized </a>during a crackdown on Holocaust denialism after two of his videos were removed. The first showed pro-Palestine and pro-Israel protesters shouting down a Holocaust denier at that year’s American Israel Public Affair Committee conference. The other was raw footage of a speech given by neo-Nazi Mike Peinovich Enoch. Fischer wasn’t promoting the views shown in the footage, but it still took seven months for YouTube to re-monetize his channel. Meanwhile, Status Coup had a livestream of a Second Amendment rally <a href="https://twitter.com/JordanChariton/status/1351231373873446914?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">taken down</a> last month because it violated YouTube’s firearms policy.</p>



<p><em>By Rachel Sandler, Forbes Staff</em></p>


US-POLITICS-ELECTION-TRUMP

YouTube Is Taking Down Raw Footage From The Capitol Riot As It Tries To Crack Down On Misinformation


<p id="h-topline"><strong>TOPLINE</strong> After President Joe Biden was sworn into office, his administration immediately began undoing his Trump’s policies and beefing up the federal government’s response to the coronavirus through a slew of executive actions and orders.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h4>



<ul><li>Biden issued a mask and social distancing mandate on all federal lands for federal employees and contractors.</li></ul>



<ul><li>The Biden administration extended eviction and foreclosure moratoriums until March 31 and will continue to suspend student loan repayments until September.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Biden rejoined the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Accord, both of which Donald Trump exited during his presidency.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Through an executive action, Biden revoked permits for the Keystone XL Pipeline and put a temporary moratorium on oil and gas leasing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, moves hailed by environmental and indigenous activists.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Biden revoked Trump’s attempt to exclude non-citizens from being counted in the U.S. Census, which affects representation in Congress and the allocation of federal grant money.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Biden reversed Trump’s travel ban from several Muslim-majority countries, including Syria, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen, and told the State Department to start allowing visa applications from these countries again.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Biden ended the National Emergency Declaration that allowed the Trump administration to divert money from the Pentagon to construct the border wall.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<ul><li>Biden sent a sweeping immigration reform bill to Congress that includes an eight-year path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and immediate green cards for DREAMers.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2021/01/20/biden-executive-order-overturns-trump-diversity-training-ban/4236891001/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reversed&nbsp;</a>Trump’s ban on diversity training at federal agencies and federal contractors.</li></ul>



<ul><li>The 1776 Commission, the Trump’s administration’s rebuttal of the New York Times 1619 Project, was dismantled and the website was immediately taken down.</li></ul>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://twitter.com/loganmcdonald/status/1351941117672124420?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1351941117672124420%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1&#038;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fembedly.forbes.com%2Fwidgets%2Fmedia.html%3Ftype%3Dtext2Fhtmlkey%3D3ce26dc7e3454db5820ba084d28b4935schema%3Dtwitterurl%3Dhttps3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2F_loganmcdonald%2Fstatus%2F13519411176721244203Fs3D20image%3D
</div></figure>



<ul><li>Michael Pack, who oversaw Voice Of America, Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty as CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/biden-administration-asks-agency-for-global-media-ceo-michael-pack-to-resign" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">resigned&nbsp;</a>Wednesday at the request of the incoming Biden administration.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<ul><li>The Biden administration asked National Labor Relations Board general counsel Peter Robb, a Trump-appointee, to resign, Bloomberg Law&nbsp;<a href="https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/biden-moves-to-oust-top-labor-board-attorney-robb" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>.</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">CHIEF CRITICS</h3>



<p>Right-wing pundits&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/dominicholden/status/1351983032673173504?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">questioned&nbsp;</a>Biden’s vow to unify the country amid the flurry of executive orders. Biden’s actions don’t “add much oomph to his ‘unity’ message,” GOP Strategist Karl Rove&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/dominicholden/status/1351983032673173504?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said&nbsp;</a>in a&nbsp;<em>Fox News&nbsp;</em>interview.</p>



<p>Republican lawmakers took aim at Biden’s priorities. Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas), an outspoken supporter of the Keystone XL Pipeline, said Biden was costing 10,000 blue-collar jobs and making the U.S. “less energy secure.”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">FIRST DAY: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Biden?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Biden</a> fires opening shot on Texas energy workers.<br><br>ExecOrder revokes <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KeystoneXL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KeystoneXL</a> pipeline permit.<br>Kills 10,000 blue-collar jobs, many in Texas. <br>Makes U.S. less energy secure.<br><br>Russia &amp; Middle East cheering. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BidenKillsJobs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BidenKillsJobs</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BidenTargetsTX?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BidenTargetsTX</a></p>&mdash; Kevin Brady (@RepKevinBrady) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepKevinBrady/status/1351983718131503109?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>GOP Biden&#8217;s immigration plan sparked immediate criticism from GOP members of Congress. “A mass amnesty with no safeguards and no strings attached is a nonstarter,” said Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">TANGENT</h3>



<p>The official White House website, WhiteHouse.gov, also got some new accessibility changes. The new site has dark mode and a toggle to make the font larger.</p>



<p><em>-by Rachel Sandler, Forbes Staff</em></p>


Joe Biden Sworn In As 46th President Of The United States At U.S. Capitol Inauguration Ceremony

Here Are All The Actions Biden Took On His First Day In Office


<p class="has-drop-cap">After Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol last week, Bank of America sent a memo to employees who had donated to the company’s political action committee. The note made it clear there would be financial consequences for legislators who had voted against certifying the 2020 election results. “For upcoming elections,” the message said, “We will take into account the appalling events of January 6 before making any PAC decisions regarding those members.”  </p>



<p>But what about consequences for the president? Bank of America, after all, has significant financial ties to Trump, serving as the biggest tenant inside 555 California Street, a San Francisco skyscraper in which the president holds a 30% stake worth an estimated $442 million. The bank’s annual rent amounts to an estimated $22 million, and Trump’s 30% share of that is roughly $6.5 million. When asked whether the bank planned to continue providing that money to the president, a spokesman didn’t have an answer. “Regarding 555 California, I would have to get back to you,” he said. “We don’t generally disclose rent payments.”</p>



<p>Bank of America isn’t the only company caught in an awkward position—pledging financial consequences for Trump’s acolytes while continuing to pay the president rent. Many of Trump’s tenants are locked into longstanding lease agreements, which makes severing those ties more challenging than simply pledging to withhold future political donations. Further complicating things: the president’s blue-chip tenants are largely inside 555 California Street and New York City’s 1290 Avenue of the Americas, two buildings in which he holds minority interests alongside publicly traded Vornado Realty Trust, which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/danalexander/2019/03/07/trumps-secret-windfall-the-crown-jewels-of-his-fortune-are-2-skyscrapers-he-didnt-wantand-doesnt-control/?sh=6febfbb822e5">manages the buildings</a>&nbsp;on a day-to-day basis.</p>



<p>The amount of money flowing through those leases, however, is far greater than the standard political donation. Plus, the funds ultimately go to Trump personally, rather than to a campaign for his political allies. Cutting off the rental payments, in other words, would send a more significant, personal message to Trump.</p>



<p>But that’s not where companies are focused right now. Take Goldman Sachs. “We put a pause on all PAC activity last Thursday and are reviewing our political contributions going forward, in light of the efforts to block the results of the election,” a representative for the financial giant said in a statement. Goldman remains one of the president’s tenants at 555 California Street, paying an estimated $5.8 million of annual rent. Trump’s 30% share amounts to $1.7 million. Questioned about plans for the lease agreement, a spokesman did not have an answer. “I’ll ask,” he said.</p>



<p>It’s a similar story at Microsoft, which decided on Friday that it would freeze political giving through its PAC. “The PAC regularly pauses its donations in the first quarter of a new Congress, but it will take additional steps this year to consider these recent events and consult with employees,” a spokesperson said in a statement. The technology firm also did not answer whether it will be seeking to change its lease inside 555 California, where it pays an estimated $3.2 million a year—$900,000 of which is attributable to the president.</p>



<p>Ditto for JPMorgan Chase, which has space on the ground floor of 1290 Avenue of the Americas. “The terrible events from the last week have prompted us to pause all contributions from our political action committee and to reevaluate our PAC giving strategies,” a bank representative said in a statement. No word, however, on the rent flowing into the president’s property: “Checking on the lease,” the spokesperson said.</p>



<p>Morgan Stanley, which is also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/11/business/banks-citigroup-goldman-sachs-politicians.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reportedly halting</a>&nbsp;its donations to lawmakers who did not vote to certify the election tally, rents space inside 555 California Street and pays an estimated $10 million annually ($3.1 million of which counts toward Trump’s rent roll). But the firm did not respond to requests for comment about its lease.</p>



<p>Blue Cross Blue Shield’s national organization said it would suspend its donations to legislators who “voted to undermine our democracy,” explaining in a statement, “While a contrast of ideas, ideological differences and partisanship are all part of our politics, weakening our political system and eroding public confidence in it must never be.” The group did not say whether the foundation of one of its companies, Blue Shield of California, would try to change its lease agreement in San Francisco. That space, inside the 555 California Street complex, comes with an estimated $2.1 million price tag per year. Trump’s share of the rent: roughly $600,000.</p>



<p><em>With additional reporting by Jemima McEvoy and Andrew Solender.</em></p>



<p><em>By Dan Alexander, Forbes Staff</em></p>


President Trump Returns After Border Visit

Big Companies Try To Distance Themselves From Trump—While Still Paying Him Millions In Rent


<p id="h-topline"><strong>TOPLINE</strong> Twitter’s shares plunged 7% in pre-market trading on Monday after the platform permanently suspended President Donald Trump’s account Friday — Twitter was one of several sites to deplatform the president for his role in inciting violence among supporters Wednesday, including Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h4>



<p>After a review of Trump’s recent tweets, Twitter said it felt there was a “risk of further incitement of violence” from the president, who at the time was one of the most followed people on the platform.</p>



<p>The company then virtually chased Trump across the internet to take down posts as the president repeatedly tried to subvert the ban and tweet from other accounts he had access to, such as the official presidential @POTUS account and his presidential campaign account.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The president&nbsp;<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2021/01/08/president-trump-responds-to-twitter-account-ban-in-tweet-storm-from-potus-account/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">claimed</a>&nbsp;he would set up his own social media network in the future.</p>



<p>Twitter also cracked down on the accounts of a number of Trump’s supporters who were encouraging violence and spreading misinformation, like lawyer L. Lin Wood who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackbrewster/2021/01/07/lin-wood-lawyer-closely-tied-to-trump-permanently-banned-from-twitter-after-claiming-capitol-siege-was-staged/?sh=44dc23851be3">suggested</a>&nbsp;the Wednesday insurrection was a coup “staged” by antifa protesters and described Vice President Mike Pence as a traitor and communist.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h4>



<p>After years of pressure to crack down on misinformation, conspiracy and hate speech from Trump, platforms are now abandoning him in droves after the president incited violence among his supporters Wednesday. Of these, Twitter is the most consequential. Twitter was Trump’s preferred way of engaging with the world around him and the president used the platform for everything from announcing policies and denouncing detractors to spreading hate, misinformation and lies. Trump’s communications channels are certainly narrowing — Facebook also banned the president and right wing app Parler has been practically&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/abrambrown/2021/01/10/conservative-social-media-app-parler-is-pretty-much-dead/?sh=73e7a2a66a53">run off the internet</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h4>



<p>Twitter and San Francisco police are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/San-Francisco-braces-for-possible-pro-Trump-15860077.php" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reportedly</a>&nbsp;preparing for a pro-Trump protest outside the company’s headquarters on Monday in the wake of the ban.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h4>



<p>88 million. That’s how many Twitter followers Trump had when his account was suspended. This made him one of the most followed on the platform.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h4>



<p><a href="https://www.axios.com/platforms-social-media-ban-restrict-trump-d9e44f3c-8366-4ba9-a8a1-7f3114f920f1.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">All the platforms that have banned or restricted Trump so far</a> <em>(Axios)</em></p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelsandler/2021/01/08/twitter-permanently-bans-trump/?sh=3969f0e3158d">Twitter Permanently Bans Trump</a> <em>(Forbes)</em></p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/abrambrown/2021/01/10/conservative-social-media-app-parler-is-pretty-much-dead/?sh=73e7a2a66a53">Conservative Social Media App Parler Is Pretty Much Dead</a><em> (Forbes)</em></p>



<p><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-11/twitter-shares-fall-6-following-permanent-trump-ban?srnd=premium" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Twitter Shares Fall 7% Following Permanent Trump Ban</a><em> (Forbes)</em></p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2021/01/10/parler-at-risk-of-going-offline-after-bans-from-amazon-apple-and-google/?sh=31fcce28312b">Parler At Risk Of Going Offline After Bans From Amazon, Apple And Google</a> <em>(Forbes)</em></p>



<p><em>-By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff</em></p>


Twitter Permanently Suspends President Donald Trump’s Twitter Account

Twitter Shares Down 7% In Pre-Market Trading After Trump Is Permanently Banned From The Platform


<p id="h-topline"><strong>TOPLINE</strong> Twitter has permanently suspended President Donald Trump’s account, the company announced Friday, a striking move that comes as the social media network faced growing pressure to remove him following the deadly Capitol riots earlier this week.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-gallery columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex"><ul class="blocks-gallery-grid"><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><figure><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GettyImages-1283816163-1-1024x683.jpg" alt="" data-id="48752" data-full-url="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GettyImages-1283816163-1-scaled.jpg" data-link="https://www.forbesafrica.com/current-affairs/2020/11/04/twitter-flags-trump-tweet-baselessly-accusing-biden-of-trying-to-steal-the-election/attachment/president-donald-trump-holds-election-night-event-at-the-white-house/" class="wp-image-48752" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GettyImages-1283816163-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GettyImages-1283816163-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GettyImages-1283816163-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GettyImages-1283816163-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GettyImages-1283816163-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GettyImages-1283816163-1-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="blocks-gallery-item__caption">WASHINGTON, DC &#8211; NOVEMBER 04: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks on election night in the East Room of the White House in the early morning hours of November 04, 2020 in Washington, DC.  (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></li></ul></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h4>



<p>Twitter said it decided to ban the president “due to the risk of further incitement of violence” after a review of his recent tweets.</p>



<p>Though Twitter has long been criticized for not doing enough to stem the spread of misinformation and hate speech on Trump’s account, the last few days have ratcheted up pressure from prominent figures in tech, Democrats, as well as Twitter’s own employees, for a permanent ban.</p>



<p>Up until this point, Twitter had only locked Trump’s account for 12 hours over tweets where he said he “loved” the rioters and explained the insurrection as “things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously &amp; viciously stripped away.”</p>



<p>After the suspension expired, Trump used Twitter to call his supporters “American Patriots,” say the MAGA movement will have a “GIANT VOICE long into the future” and indicate he would skip Joe Biden’s inauguration.</p>



<p>Twitter said those tweets prompted the ban because they are being interpreted by his supporters as a veiled plan to “continue to support, empower, and shield those who believe he won the election,” especially considering “plans for future armed protests have already begun proliferating on and off-Twitter.”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://twitter.com/TwitterSafety/status/1347684877634838528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1347684877634838528%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&#038;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fembedly.forbes.com%2Fwidgets%2Fmedia.html%3Ftype%3Dtext2Fhtmlkey%3Dcfc0fb0733504c77aa4a6ac07caaffc7schema%3Dtwitterurl%3Dhttps3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FTwitterSafety%2Fstatus%2F13476848776348385283Fs3D20image%3D
</div></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h4>



<p>“President Trump’s statement that he will not be attending the Inauguration is being received by a number of his supporters as further confirmation that the election was not legitimate and is seen as him disavowing his previous claim made via two Tweets (<a href="https://twitter.com/DanScavino/status/1347103015493361664" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/DanScavino/status/1347103016311259136" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2</a>) by his Deputy Chief of Staff, Dan Scavino, that there would be an ‘orderly transition’ on January 20th,” Twitter said in its assessment of his final tweets.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">CHIEF CRITIC</h4>



<p>Trump immediately tweeted from the @POTUS account that Twitter’s employees were coordinating with Democrats and the “Radical Left” to silence him. But moments later Twitter removed those posts.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The president tweeted this from the <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> account but the tweets have already been taken down by Twitter. <a href="https://t.co/pRqpFw8hYY">pic.twitter.com/pRqpFw8hYY</a></p>&mdash; Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) <a href="https://twitter.com/yashar/status/1347718683351601152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h4>



<p>Trump’s Twitter account was his primary way of communicating with the world. He’s used it to announce policies, go after critics, spread falsehoods and, most recently, promote conspiracy theories about election fraud. But after years of pressure to clean up its platform, Twitter began cracking down on Trump this year by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/facebook-twitter-keep-fact-checking-trump-voting-mail-he-s-n1241339" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fact-checking</a>&nbsp;false tweets about mail-in voting, Covid-19 and the election results. The company’s actions angered Trump so much he launched a crusade against tech’s legal shield, Section 230, claiming that social media companies are biased against conservatives.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">TANGENT</h4>



<p>Trump isn’t the only person who got permanently suspended in the wake of the deadly insurrection attempt at the U.S. Capitol. Twitter also <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelsandler/2021/01/08/twitter-bans-sidney-powell-mike-flynn-for-sharing-qanon-conspiracy-theories/?sh=1eea67932d66">removed </a>several accounts that pushed QAnon conspiracy theories, including Sidney Powell, Mike Flynn, and former 8kun administrator Ron Watkins.</p>



<p><em>-By Rachel Sandler, Forbes Staff</em></p>


Twitter Permanently Bans Trump


<p id="h-topline"><strong>TOPLINE</strong> Along with <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackbrewster/2021/01/06/the-protesters-are-in-the-building-us-capitol-goes-on-lockdown/?sh=27c4bf8e30c1">shutting down</a> the proceedings of the U.S. Congress and forcing lawmakers to flee to safety during an important vote on the presidential election, the pro-Trump mob that stormed through the Capitol on Wednesday stole equipment, ripped down signs, and damaged property—brazen actions they could be prosecuted for, many of which were caught on camera. </p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h4>



<p>In a photo snapped by Getty Images, an unidentified vandal wearing a “Trump” ski cap appeared to steal House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) podium, all while smiling and waving at the camera.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A Trump supporter carries a podium around the U.S. Capitol after protesters breached the Capitol Building during a joint session of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Congress?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Congress</a> in Washington, DC 📷: <a href="https://twitter.com/WinMc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WinMc</a> <a href="https://t.co/lsF7wg6BI5">pic.twitter.com/lsF7wg6BI5</a></p>&mdash; Getty Images News (@GettyImagesNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/GettyImagesNews/status/1346916320965750788?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>Trump supporters took over Pelosi’s office, upending tables, ripping down pictures, and removing a sign posted by the entrance to be used as a “trophy,” <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/01/06/us/washington-dc-protests/a-sign-from-nancy-pelosis-office-was-taken-as-a-trophy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to the <em>New York Times</em></a>.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Among the terrorists invading Capitol today was a man (left) wearing a sweatshirt saying, “Camp Auschwitz”:<a href="https://twitter.com/mikedebonis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mikedebonis</a> <a href="https://t.co/NxhjdPqXBG">pic.twitter.com/NxhjdPqXBG</a></p>&mdash; Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/BeschlossDC/status/1346971421134741505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>Richard Barnett, 60, from Gravette, Arkansas, posed for the <em>New York Times</em> with a note stolen from Pelosi’s office, saying he didn’t steal it because he “left a quarter” on Pelosi’s desk.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">That’s Richard “Bigo” Barnett, 60, from Gravette, Ak., showing off the personalized envelope he took from Speaker Pelosi’s office. He insisted he didn’t steal it — “I left a quarter on her desk.” <a href="https://t.co/aST7MCoRwP">pic.twitter.com/aST7MCoRwP</a></p>&mdash; Matthew Rosenberg (@AllMattNYC) <a href="https://twitter.com/AllMattNYC/status/1346959236421578754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>As they attempted to break inside the Capitol, crowds of Trump supporters shattered windows all across the Capitol in <a href="https://twitter.com/hunterw/status/1346935727263768578?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">footage</a> caught on tape.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pro-Trump rioters shatter a window at the US Capitol and enter the building <a href="https://t.co/7V2SR34L6F">https://t.co/7V2SR34L6F</a> <a href="https://t.co/wxkZCA7B1A">pic.twitter.com/wxkZCA7B1A</a></p>&mdash; CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNPolitics/status/1346925380209434624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>Outside the Capitol, a group of Associated Press reporters were chased from their camera equipment by rioters, prompting a crowd to then destroy it. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Inter-MAGA argument breaking out where one guy is urging the crowd to let the process play out. <br><br>That&#39;s not going over well. <br><br>&quot;Fuck the process!&quot; says one person. &quot;I&#39;m 44 years old I&#39;ve been getting fucked by the process my whole life.&quot;</p>&mdash; Paul McLeod (@pdmcleod) <a href="https://twitter.com/pdmcleod/status/1346938773959950336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p><em>Forbes&nbsp;</em>has reached out to Pelosi&#8217;s office and the Capitol police about the extent of the damage.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">NOT SO BIG NUMBER&nbsp;</h4>



<p>13. That’s how many people have been arrested as of 5:30 p.m. EST,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/jeffjarvis/status/1346963121550856203?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to D.C. police</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">TANGENT</h4>



<p>A photo of Barnett sitting in Pelosi’s office went viral on Wednesday.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Extremist who took over Nancy Pelosi’s office, per Fox News. <a href="https://t.co/byRnH8U93n">pic.twitter.com/byRnH8U93n</a></p>&mdash; Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanLizza/status/1346923390867824641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT TO WATCH FOR&nbsp;</h4>



<p>D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser did not say whether rioters would be arrested if they stayed out past the mandated 6 p.m. EST curfew on Wednesday in an&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1346954354654380037?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">interview</a>&nbsp;with CNN. At the Capitol, trespassers have been told they must leave by 6 p.m. or be arrested,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/burgessev/status/1346951962273714176?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to Politico</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h4>



<p>“Electoral College ballots rescued from the Senate floor,” Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) said on Twitter. “If our capable floor staff hadn’t grabbed them, they would have been burned by the mob.” </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://twitter.com/SenJeffMerkley/status/1346938705932648451?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1346938705932648451%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&#038;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fembedly.forbes.com%2Fwidgets%2Fmedia.html%3Ftype%3Dtext2Fhtmlkey%3D3ce26dc7e3454db5820ba084d28b4935schema%3Dtwitterurl%3Dhttps3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FSenJeffMerkley%2Fstatus%2F13469387059326484513Fs3D20image%3D
</div></figure>



<p><em>by Jack Brewster, Forbes Staff</em></p>


Signs, Podiums, TV Equipment: Trump Supporters Loot And Destroy During Capitol Hill Takeover


<p><strong>Although Donald Trump-led arguably the most Africa-adverse American administration in history, analysts warn not to expect too much from his successor, Democrat Joe Biden. A look at the likely impact of his win on the US-Africa economic dynamics.</strong></p>



<p class="has-drop-cap"><span class="has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color">H</span>ISTORICALLY, IT HAS NOT MATTERED MUCH for Africa whether Democrats or Republicans sit in the White House. This is largely because the United States (US) has never really had a coherent and constructive Africa policy. So, although outgoing Republican president Donald Trump led arguably the most Africa-adverse American administration in history, analysts warn not to expect too much from his successor, Democrat Joe Biden.</p>



<p>Biden was vice-president in the Obama administration that preceded Trump. But whereas Trump once called African countries “shitholes”, Biden at least is promising to “reengage with the world”.</p>



<p>“He will be more engaging with countries, including Africa,” believes Jannie Rossouw, interim head of Wits Business School in Johannesburg. “Trump really isolated the US from many regions, from very many continents, it was bad relationship all over the place.”</p>



<p>Judd Devermont, director of the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC, agrees.</p>



<p>“I think Biden is going to focus on rebuilding partnerships and that includes at the multilateral level to the state level, to the subnational level,” he says.</p>



<p>“So I think you will first see a refocus on climate change and strengthening international adoptions, which will be of benefit to Africans. It’s clear that Biden is very supportive of the Continental Free Trade Agreement. That is incredibly important. But he has also talked about the importance of subnational governance and particularly urbanization. And so I think we have the potential to see the next administration work with African countries at these multiple levels to unlock their economies.”</p>



<p>Devermont expects the biggest African economies – Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya in particular – to receive significant attention, while the prospects for Ethiopia also look promising.</p>



<p>But Biden has his work cut out for him. Domestic challenges like tackling the Covid-19 pandemic, an economic recession and reckoning with racism are likely to keep him busy during his first few months in office. When his attention finally shifts to international affairs, climate change and trade wars with China can expect to dominate the agenda.</p>



<p>But instead of disparaging Beijing at every turn, like Trump did, Devermont expects there will be a focus on “transparency around norms, around standards, ensuring that African economies are open to US investors. And the more negative elements of a Chinese engagement will be blunted or curbed through shared partnerships with Africans around how foreign countries should invest in their countries, how to form partnerships in their countries.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>Another expectation is that American legislation allowing sub-Saharan African countries preferential entry into the US market will be extended.</p>



<p>Rossouw believes that “Biden will try to find a call partner in countries in Africa, and that might be beneficial, especially for the bigger economies in Africa, such as South Africa. If Johannesburg was an independent country, it would be the ninth largest economy in Africa. So naturally, the interest will first be in the big economies and then there will be spillover effects to the smaller economies.”</p>



<p>Biden has in the past committed Washington to helping the continent manage the challenges of a burgeoning population. The United Nations’ projection that Africa will be home to a quarter of the world’s population by 2050 led him to suggest an urbanization initiative. This would include partnerships between African and American cities planning for growth in critical sectors like energy access, climate change, transportation and water management.</p>



<p>“Urbanization is the key transformation that the continent will undergo in this century and ensuring that African cities, most of whom sit on the coasts, are open for business will be a huge opportunity for US companies,&#8221; says Devermont. &#8220;I wouldn&#8217;t underestimate how important that initiative, depending on what it develops into, can be for the US-Africa economic relationship.&#8221;</p>



<p>Equally important is that the Biden administration reach out to companies that remain skeptical or ignorant about opportunities in Africa and address some of the risks and myths they have about investing on the continent.</p>



<p>Trump’s mission was to make America great but his administration largely disengaged with one of the world’s fastest-growing regions. Time will tell whether his successor fares any better. </p>



<p><em>-By PAULA SLIER AND ALLISON GOSNEY</em></p>


US dollar on the Africa map background

Will The United States Re-Engage With Africa?


<p>Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) broke his <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/08/politics/biden-victory-congressional-republican-reaction/index.html" target="_blank">silence</a> about the election on Monday, declining to acknowledge President Donald Trump’s loss to Joe Biden and defending Trump’s court challenges, though McConnell did not endorse outright Trump’s voter fraud conspiracy theories.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h4>



<p>On the Senate floor, McConnell&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4922052/senator-mcconnell-president-trump-within-rights-challenge-election-results-court" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said Trump</a>&nbsp;is “100% within his rights” to open legal challenges into allegations of voter fraud, arguing the courts should weigh these accusations and Trump should not be shamed into conceding to Biden in the meantime.</p>



<p>McConnell said states should count all legal ballots and reject illegal ballots, echoing Trump’s baseless claim that last week’s election was riddled with illegal voting, and he said the process should be observable by all sides, possible alluding to a false claim circulating among Trump and his allies that pollwatchers were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2020/11/06/trump-and-allies-keep-claiming-republican-poll-watchers-were-banned-thats-a-lie/?sh=2fb971f244da">banned in some states</a>.</p>



<p>Unlike Trump and some of his allies like Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1325658048585752581" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Matt Gaetz</a>&nbsp;(R-Fla.), McConnell did not repeat any specific fraud allegations or falsely imply Trump was the rightful winner, possibly leaving an exit for himself if the president’s legal challenges are unsuccessful.</p>



<p>He scolded media outlets for projecting a Biden victory and said no state has officially certified its results yet, though in most recent presidential races, news outlets have traditionally called a winner and both candidates have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/4024228/what-time-do-the-losing-candidates-usually-concede-the-long-and-short-of-election-night" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">accepted the outcome</a>&nbsp;well before the weeks-long election certification process wraps up.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h4>



<p>“President Trump is 100% within his rights to look into allegations of irregularities and weigh his legal options,” McConnell said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4922052/senator-mcconnell-president-trump-within-rights-challenge-election-results-court" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Monday</a>. “If any major irregularities occurred this time of a magnitude that would affect the outcome, then every single American should want them to be brought to light.”</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">TANGENT</h4>



<p>McConnell accused Democrats of hypocrisy for demanding a concession from Trump. He pointed to the fact that Al Gore did not concede to George W. Bush until Dec. 13, 2000 — though&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/story/2017/12/13/gore-concedes-presidential-election-to-bush-dec-13-2000-287285" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">that concession was stalled</a>&nbsp;due to a recount process that sparked a Supreme Court challenge — and he suggested Democrats never accepted the results of the 2016 election. In reality, 2016 challenger Hillary Clinton&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2016/11/09/politics/hillary-clinton-concession-speech/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">delivered a concession speech</a>&nbsp;the morning after Election Day, though she still maintained later on that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/06/nyregion/hillary-clinton-russia-hacking-election-trump.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Russian interference</a>&nbsp;was partly to blame for her loss.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h4>



<p>Trump has not conceded to Biden yet, instead lodging baseless allegations of voter fraud and inaccurately suggesting he would have won if not for a unified Democratic effort to rig the race. His campaign has launched legal challenges in multiple states alleging voter fraud and violations of poll-watchers’ right to observe the counting process, but several of these lawsuits were swiftly rejected last week due to a lack of evidence, and most experts believe these legal efforts are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/election-2020-what-are-the-trump-legal-claims-11604876612" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">unlikely to alter</a>&nbsp;the results of the election. Some close Trump allies like his wife Melania and son-in-law Jared Kushner have privately encouraged the president to concede,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/08/politics/jared-kushner-donald-trump-concession/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CNN reported</a>, though the White House&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/11/08/us/election-results/a-white-house-official-disputed-reports-that-kushner-had-advised-trump-to-concede" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">denied this claim</a>.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">BIG NUMBER</h4>



<p>That’s the number of Republican Senators who have congratulated Biden. Moderate Sens. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Ben Sasse (R-Nev.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) have all acknowledged Biden’s win, though more doctrinaire congressional Republicans have sided with Trump and refused to accept the election’s results.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h4>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/11/09/these-are-the-republicans-who-have-acknowledged-bidens-victory/?sh=63cbf5bacedc">These Are The Republicans Who Have Acknowledged Biden’s Victory (Forbes)</a></p>



<p><em>-By Joe Walsh, Forbes Staff</em></p>


Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) Holds Media Opportunity With Newly-Elected GOP Senators

McConnell: Trump Has ‘Every Right’ To Challenge Election Loss


<p>Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. is projected to be the next president of the United States based on&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/AP_Politics/status/1325112441928359939?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">election analysis</a>&nbsp;by the Associated Press, defeating incumbent President Donald Trump in what proved to be one of the most brutal campaigns in modern history, throughout which Biden vowed to heal the nation’s deep divisions and respond forcefully and responsibly to Covid-19 pandemic.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><sub>KEY FACTS</sub></h4>



<p><strong>•</strong>&nbsp;The Associated Press called the crucial battleground state of Pennsylvania for Biden on Saturday after late-counted absentee ballots gave him a come-from-behind victory, also calling Nevada for him shortly after.</p>



<p><strong>•</strong>&nbsp;Biden’s path to 270 electoral votes was paved through Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan, which Trump won after decades of Democratic dominance, leaving some Democrats to question whether their path to the presidency in future elections would still run through the Midwest.</p>



<p><strong>•</strong>&nbsp;But if Biden proved Democrats could win traditional Democratic states, he also blazed the beginnings of a new trail for Democrats by putting Arizona in the blue column for the first time since 1996, and he’s on track to be the first Democrat to win Georgia since 1992.</p>



<p><strong>•</strong>&nbsp;The result caps off an election defined by its ugliness, with Trump launching attacks on Biden’s physical and<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/08/26/trumps-latest-trolling-of-bidens-mental-state-calling-for-drug-tests-before-debates/">&nbsp;mental health</a>,<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-election-trump/trump-calls-biden-stupid-demands-apology-for-challenging-him-on-vaccines-idUSKBN25Z0E6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;intelligence</a>,<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/08/28/destroyer-of-american-greatness-trump-savages-biden-as-he-accepts-gop-nomination/">&nbsp;record</a>&nbsp;and even his<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/10/16/lock-up-the-bidens-trump-picks-target-for-final-stretch--his-opponents-family/">&nbsp;family</a>&nbsp;while calling for him to be<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytko/2019/09/25/trump-urged-ukraine-to-investigate-joe-biden-in-phone-call-transcript/">&nbsp;investigated</a>, prosecuted and<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2020/10/17/trump-calls-the-bidens-an-organized-crime-family-but-here-are-his-run-ins-with-the-law/">&nbsp;imprisoned</a>&nbsp;by the federal government.</p>



<p><strong>•</strong>&nbsp;Biden for his part rode a wave of anti-Trump sentiment by excoriating Trump’s record as president, most notably by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/10/23/biden-hits-trump-on-covid-if-this-is-a-success-what-does-a-failure-look-like/">seizing on</a>&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_casesinlast7days" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">232,000 U.S. deaths</a>&nbsp;from coronavirus and alleging Trump had failed to adequately respond to the pandemic.</p>



<p><strong>•</strong>&nbsp;But even as he clashed with Trump, Biden pledges to voters that in the aftermath of the campaign he would seek to heal partisan wounds and govern not as a Democrat, but as “a president for all Americans,” even those who disagreed with him.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><sub>KEY BACKGROUND</sub></h4>



<p>Born in Pennsylvania in 1942 and raised in Delaware, Biden attended the University of Delaware and Syracuse University Law School, briefly practicing law before entering local Delaware politics as a New Castle County Councilman. Biden was elected to the U.S. senate from Delaware in 1972, defeating a three-term Republican incumbent at age 29 to become the youngest senator in the country – so obscure on the national stage that NBC News anchor Garrick Utley mistakenly called him “<a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewSolender/status/1320076660893536260?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">James Biden</a>.” Biden served for 36 years in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/member/joseph-biden/B000444" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Senate</a>, including stints as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations and Judiciary Committees, and ran for president in 1988 and 2008 before serving as President Barack Obama’s vice president from 2009 to 2017. In addition to his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, Biden has two children, Hunter and Ashley, and seven grandchildren.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><sub>TANGENT</sub></h4>



<p>Biden won<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/11/03/biden-racks-up-more-republican-support-in-final-days--the-complete-list-of-his-gop-backers/">&nbsp;endorsements from hundreds of prominent Republicans</a>&nbsp;and former GOP officials, such as former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, the family of the late Arizona Sen. John McCain, GOP mega-donor Meg Whitman and former GOP presidential candidate Carly Fiorina. Even a handful of Trump officials endorsed Biden, including former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci and former Department of Homeland Security Chief of Staff<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/10/29/trump-warns-bad-things-will-happen-to-treasonous-ex-official-miles-taylor/">&nbsp;Miles Taylor</a>.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><sub>CRUCIAL QUOTE</sub></h4>



<p>“It&#8217;s been a long and difficult campaign, but it’s been a more difficult time for our country, Biden said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1324165787515461634?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">speech</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday, before the race was called for him, calling to “put the harsh rhetoric of the campaign behind us” and “respect and care for one another, to unite, to heal, to come together,” a common theme of his campaign. “I know this won’t be easy. I’m not naive. Neither of us are. I know how deep and hard the opposing views are in our country on so many things. But I also know this as well. To make progress, we have to stop treating our opponents as enemies. We are not enemies. What brings us together as Americans is so much stronger than anything that can tear us apart.”</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><sub><strong>CHIEF CRITIC</strong></sub></h4>



<p>“I WON THIS ELECTION, BY A LOT!” Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/11/07/trump-falsely-claims-he-won-by-a-lot-after-telling-biden-not-to-wrongfully-declare-victory/">tweeted</a>&nbsp;an hour before the election was called for Biden. Shortly afterwards, his campaign put out a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewSolender/status/1325118083082702850?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">statement</a>&nbsp;claiming &#8220;the simple fact is this election is far from over&#8221; and vowing legal action.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><sub>SURPRISING FACT</sub></h4>



<p>Trump is the first president to lose reelection since 1992, when Republican President George H.W. Bush lost to Democrat Bill Clinton. At 77 years old, Biden will be the oldest president in American history. Biden’s running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), will be the first woman, the first Black American and the first Asian American to serve as vice president.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><sub>BIG NUMBER</sub></h4>



<p>306. That’s the number of electoral votes Biden is on track to win if he maintains his lead in Nevada and Georgia. Trump won the same exact number of electoral votes in 2016, which he described as a “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/11/06/biden-on-track-for-what-trump-once-called-massive-landslide-electoral-college-victory/">massive landslide victory</a>.”</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><sub>WHAT TO WATCH FOR</sub></h4>



<p>An uncalled Senate race in North Carolina and two runoffs in Georgia set for Jan. 5 will determine whether Biden comes into office with a Democratic majority in both chambers of Congress. Given the sheer scale of his&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://joebiden.com/joes-vision/" target="_blank">proposals</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;including a&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://joebiden.com/climate-plan/" target="_blank">$2 trillion climate plan</a>, a&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://joebiden.com/healthcare/" target="_blank">public health care option</a>&nbsp;and a&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://joebiden.com/the-biden-emergency-action-plan-to-save-the-economy/" target="_blank">second coronavirus stimulus package</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;Democratic control of Congress would be critical for Biden to enact some of his key priorities and to get his desired cabinet secretaries and appointees confirmed, as well as to fill judicial vacancies.</p>



<p><em>-By Andrew Solender,Forbes Staff</em></p>


Democratic Presidential Nominee Joe Biden Addresses The Nation As Election Count Continues In Few Key States

Joe Biden Wins Presidency After Recapturing Rust Belt States


<p>Even with the presidential election in flux, the U.S. stock market—led by a rally in tech shares—jumped on Wednesday, helping America’s ten richest people add billions of dollars to their fortunes.</p>



<p>Both Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden claimed they would win the race, despite several battleground states still not called, including Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Despite the uncertainty, markets surged on Wednesday, with shares of major tech companies like Amazon, Facebook and Microsoft leading the rally. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose nearly 400 points, or 1.3%, as of market close on Wednesday, while the S&amp;P 500 was up 2.2% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite soared 3.9%.</p>



<p>Some experts on Wall Street attributed the strength in tech stocks to the potential for a split Congress—as it looks less and less likely that Democrats will be able to win back control of the Senate. Although Democrats retained control of the House, Republicans won key Senate races in Iowa and Montana, according to NBC News.</p>



<p>With tech shares soaring, America’s ten richest people—including Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg—subsequently gained a combined $28.2 billion in net worth as markets moved higher.</p>



<p>Leading the way was the world’s richest person, Amazon founder and CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/jeff-bezos/#683c93f51b23">Jeff Bezos</a>, whose net worth rose by $10.5 billion, to $190.6 billion. Amazon stock was up 6.3% on Wednesday.</p>



<p>Facebook CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/mark-zuckerberg/?list=rtb/#29585cf43e06">Mark Zuckerberg</a>&nbsp;gained $8 billion as Facebook shares rose 8.3%. The world’s fourth richest person, he now has a net worth of $105.5 billion.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/bill-gates/?list=rtb/#41cb54a7689f">Bill Gates</a>, the world’s third-richest person, saw his fortune rise $663 million—pushing his net worth up to $115.9 billion. Gates, who cofounded Microsoft in 1975, has sold or given away much of his stake in the company—but still owns an estimated 1% of shares, which rose nearly 5% on Wednesday.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Another former Microsoft executive,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/steve-ballmer/?list=rtb/&amp;sh=430303664818">Steve Ballmer</a>, gained $2.8 billion, with his net worth moving up to $73.5 billion amid the market rally. He owns an estimated 3.5% stake in Microsoft.</p>



<p>Google cofounders&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/larry-page/?list=rtb/&amp;sh=2e97a1ec7893">Larry Page</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/sergey-brin/?list=rtb/&amp;sh=d67b8cc4b432">Sergey Brin</a>&nbsp;saw their fortunes rise $4 billion and $3.8 billion, respectively, as Google’s stock jumped over 6%. Both are major shareholders of Google-parent company Alphabet; Page is worth $77 billion while Brin is worth $74.9 billion.</p>



<p>Among America’s ten richest people, four saw a drop in their fortunes on Wednesday. Tesla CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/elon-musk/?list=rtb/&amp;sh=fda57287999b">Elon Musk</a>’s net worth fell by about $560 million as shares of his electric vehicle maker were down 0.7%. He owns a 21% stake in the company and is now worth $93.1 billion.</p>



<p>Renowned investor&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/warren-buffett/?list=rtb/&amp;sh=5e3030bb4639">Warren Buffett</a>&nbsp;also saw his fortune drop slightly. His investing conglomerate, Berkshire Hathaway, saw its stock fall by 0.4%, shaving $215 million off of Buffett’s net worth, which now stands at $78 billion.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/larry-ellison/?list=rtb/&amp;sh=fa0347724c2c">Larry Ellison</a>, cofounder and chief technology officer of software giant Oracle, lost $391 million, lowering his net worth to $75.1 billion. Ellison owns about 35% of Oracle’s stock, which was down 0.6% on Wednesday.</p>



<p>Walmart heiress <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/alice-walton/?list=rtb/&amp;sh=360204a4eb21">Alice Walton</a>, meanwhile, saw her fortune fall $309 million as Walmart’s stock lost 0.6%, giving her a net worth of $66.6 billion.</p>



<p><em>-By Sergei Klebnikov, Forbes Staff</em></p>


Amazon CEO And Blue Origin Founder Jeff Bezos  Speaks At Air Force Association Air, Space And Cyber Conference

America’s Ten Richest People Are $28 Billion Richer As Election Bolsters Big Tech Prospects


<p>After Joe Biden expressed optimism about his prospects of winning the election during remarks in Wilmington, Delaware, President Trump fired off a tweet in which he falsely claimed votes were being “cast after the polls closed” and accused the Democratic nominee of trying to “steal” the election—a baseless accusation that the president has floated for weeks—and Twitter flagged the tweet for spreading misinformation about the election.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h4>



<p>“We are up BIG, but they are trying to STEAL the Election,” Trump wrote in a tweet without proof, adding “Votes cannot be cast after the Polls are closed!”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We are up BIG, but they are trying to STEAL the Election. We will never let them do it. Votes cannot be cast after the Polls are closed!</p>&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1323864823680126977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>Twitter slapped a label on the tweet, saying some of the “content shared in this Tweet is disputed and might be misleading about an election or other civic process.”</p>



<p>Facebook followed suit, placing a label on Trump’s tweet that did not comment on the content of the president’s message but did remind users that the results are not final.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">And now an update. Facebook&#39;s label has now changed. It makes no comment about the content of Trump&#39;s post but suggests that the results are not final. <a href="https://t.co/EWw4guUAL0">pic.twitter.com/EWw4guUAL0</a></p>&mdash; Ryan Mac 🙃 (@RMac18) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMac18/status/1323872220821643265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>For weeks, Trump has laid the groundwork to object to results of the election he doesn’t like, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/09/23/916221894/trump-says-he-expect-election-results-to-end-up-at-supreme-court" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">refused</a>&nbsp;repeatedly to commit to a peaceful transfer of power.</p>



<p>The president has also repeatedly argued the results of the election must be known on election night, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/11/01/930140373/fact-check-trump-falsely-claims-that-votes-shouldnt-be-counted-after-election-da" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">falsely claimed</a>&nbsp;&#8220;that&#8217;s the way it&#8217;s been and that&#8217;s the way it should be.&#8221;</p>



<p>Trump put out the tweet after Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/11/04/it-aint-over-till-every-vote-is-counted-biden-says-hes-on-track-to-win-rejects-trumps-victory-declaration/">told</a>&nbsp;a crowd in Wilmington, Delaware that he felt confident about the election results, saying, &#8220;We believe we&#8217;re on track to win this election.&#8221;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h4>



<p>There is no evidence votes were cast after the polls closed in any state, as the president baselessly claimed. Many states&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackbrewster/2020/11/02/when-well-know-what-on-election-day-a-guide-to-poll-closing-times-vote-counting-procedures-and-the-states-to-watch/">accept ballots</a>&nbsp;postmarked on or before Election Day to account for mail delays.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h4>



<p>Biden currently&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/11/04/electoral-college-2020-trump-takes-florida-biden-wins-minnesota-most-swing-states-too-close-to-call/?sh=2900329f14cd">leads</a>&nbsp;Trump in the electoral college vote 223 to 174, with several key battlegrounds not yet projected, including Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Georgia.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">SURPRISING FACT</h4>



<p>Historian Michael Beschloss notes we did not know the winner on election night during six presidential elections since 1960.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We did not know Presidential winner for certain before midnight on election nights in 1960, 1968, 1976, 2000, 2004, 2016.  No one should pretend there would be anything historically unusual if that happens again in 2020.</p>&mdash; Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/BeschlossDC/status/1322993565199380491?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 1, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h4>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/11/04/it-aint-over-till-every-vote-is-counted-biden-says-hes-on-track-to-win-rejects-trumps-victory-declaration/?sh=15d523062258">‘It Ain’t Over Till Every Vote Is Counted’: Biden Says He’s ‘On Track’ To Win, Rejects Trump’s Victory Declaration</a>&nbsp;(<em>Forbes</em>)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/11/04/electoral-college-2020-trump-takes-florida-biden-wins-minnesota-most-swing-states-too-close-to-call/?sh=15dcb314cd61">Electoral College 2020: Trump Takes Florida, Biden Wins Minnesota, Most Swing States Too Close To Call </a>(<em>Forbes</em>)</p>



<p><em>-By Jack Brewster, Forbes Staff</em></p>


President Donald Trump Holds Election Night Event At The White House

Twitter Flags Trump Tweet Baselessly Accusing Biden Of Trying To ‘Steal The Election’


<p>Hip hop heavyweight and unlikely presidential candidate <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/kanye-west/#99f4e0256f16">Kanye West</a> has released a religion-steeped campaign ad that calls for voters to write his name in on their ballots and urges Americans to “revive our nation’s commitment to faith,” as West says in the spot.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h4>



<p>With less than a month to go until Election Day, West dropped a new nearly one-minute-and-30-second advertisement that heavily featured the themes of prayer and religion.</p>



<p>“We as a people will revive our nation’s commitment to faith, to what our constitution calls the free exercise of religion, including, of course, prayer,” West says in the ad. “Through prayer, faith can be restored.”</p>



<p>West, a devout Christian, has been open about his beliefs throughout his relatively short run for president—he even reportedly asked political to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2020/09/16/kanye-west-reportedly-asked-campaign-staffers-to-refrain-from-fornicating-outside-marriage/#35d914334736">refrain from extramarital sex</a>&nbsp;while working on his campaign.</p>



<p>“By turning to faith, we will be the kind of nation, the kind of people, God intends us to be,” West said in the ad.</p>



<p>At the end of the ad, the written message to “<a href="https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/1315766834046541825?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">write in Kanye West</a>” appears to be a concession to the fact that it is mathematically impossible for him to win the election because of his campaign’s late start in July, which has allowed him to qualify for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/elanagross/2020/09/08/kanye-west-now-on-ballot-in-12-states-after-qualifying-in-mississippi/#72023207712c">the ballot</a>&nbsp;in just a handful of states.</p>



<p>During an August interview with <em>Forbes</em>, when the fact was raised that it was virtually impossible for him to win, West replied, “I’m not going to argue with you. <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/randalllane/2020/08/06/exclusive-kanye-west-indicates-that-his-spoiler-campaign-is-indeed-designed-to-hurt-biden/#52b7744c6397">Jesus is King</a>.”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/1315766834046541825?s=20
</div></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h4>



<p>“We as a people are called to a greater purpose than ourselves. We are not only a beacon to the world, but we should be servants to each other,” West said in the ad. “To encourage each other, to help each other, to lift up each other. Our fellow Americans, that we may all prosper together. We have to act on faith.”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/1314407219434196993?s=20
</div></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h4>



<p><em>Forbes</em> estimates West is worth <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/kanye-west/#99f4e0256f16">$1.3 billion</a>, thanks largely to his profitable Yeezy brand deal with sportswear giant Adidas and his separate Yeezy clothing line.</p>



<p><em>-By Carlie Porterfield, Forbes Staff</em></p>


US-PEOPLE-politics-RACE-TRUMP-KANYE

Kanye West Angles For Write-In Presidential Votes With Campaign Ad Calling For Religious Revival


<p>President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have tested positive for Covid-19, Trump announced in a tweet, joining a growing list of world leaders and officials to&nbsp; have contracted the disease while fighting to contain its spread.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tonight, <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a> and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!</p>&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1311892190680014849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">As too many Americans have done this year, <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@potus</a> &amp; I are quarantining at home after testing positive for COVID-19. We are feeling good &amp; I have postponed all upcoming engagements. Please be sure you are staying safe &amp; we will all get through this together.</p>&mdash; Melania Trump 45 Archived (@FLOTUS45) <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS45/status/1311900591174680581?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h4>



<p>Trump announced the positive test results on Twitter mere hours after close advisor Hope Hicks tested positive, while First Lady Melania Trump also tested positive for coronavirus; according to a statement&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/farhip/status/1311897640892760065?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">from</a>&nbsp;White House Physician Sean Conley, both are “well at this time, and they plan to remain home within the White House during their convalescence.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>Trump joins a growing list of world leaders and officials to have tested positive for coronavirus.&nbsp;</p>



<ul><li>Brazil’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2020/07/07/brazilian-president-jair-bolsonaro-tests-positive-for-covid-19/#152de6f1508c">tested positive</a> in July after months of downplaying the risks of the virus and dismissing it as “a little flu”; at the time of writing, Brazil’s coronavirus death toll of 144,000 is the second-highest in the world after the U.S. </li></ul>



<ul><li>British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was one of the first world leaders to announce he had <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/isabeltogoh/2020/03/27/british-prime-minister-boris-johnson-tests-positive-for-coronavirus/#5cb7c9f743ed">caught</a> the virus in March and was eventually admitted to a hospital ICU after suffering persistent symptoms.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2020/09/18/guatemalan-president-latest-world-leader-to-contract-coronavirus-here-are-the-other-7/#76a8e7052394"> tested positive</a> for coronavirus in September after experiencing body aches and a dry cough; Reuters <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-guatemala/guatemalan-president-and-minister-have-coronavirus-cabinet-to-test-idUSKBN2692K0?il=0" target="_blank">reports</a> that Giammattei asked the entire cabinet to be tested, with the government later confirming that the minister for culture tested positive.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Bolivia’s interim President Jeanine Añez <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/07/10/americas/bolivia-president-anez-coronavirus-intl/index.html" target="_blank">caught</a> the virus in July.</li></ul>



<ul><li>After being diagnosed in June, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/07/02/americas/honduras-president-covid-19-discharge-intl/index.html" target="_blank">spent</a> over two weeks in a hospital after developing pneumonia symptoms.  </li></ul>



<ul><li>Having dismissed coronavirus as a mass “psychosis”, Belarus’ Alexander Lukashenko <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/07/28/europe/alexander-lukashenko-coronavirus-infection-intl/index.html" target="_blank">claims</a> he briefly caught the virus. </li></ul>



<ul><li>The Armenian Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, and his family<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.voanews.com/covid-19-pandemic/armenian-prime-minister-recovers-covid-19" target="_blank"> tested positive </a>and recovered from the virus in June.</li></ul>



<ul><li>In Guinea-Bissau, Prime Minister Nuno Gomes Nabiam and three ministers <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronarivus-bissau/guinea-bissau-pm-and-three-ministers-test-positive-for-covid-19-idUSKBN22B1YG?feedType=RSS&amp;" target="_blank">tested</a> positive for Covid-19 in April.</li></ul>



<ul><li>In March, Prince Albert II of Monaco became the first reigning monarch or head of state to <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/03/19/818698736/prince-albert-ii-of-monaco-tests-positive-for-coronavirus" target="_blank">announce</a> a positive test result for the disease. </li></ul>



<ul><li>In April, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin temporarily <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-russia-mishustin/russian-prime-minister-mikhail-mishustin-tells-putin-he-has-coronavirus-idUSKBN22C357" target="_blank">stepped down</a> to recover from coronavirus.</li></ul>



<p><em>-By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff</em></p>


GOP Presidential Candidate Donald Trump Takes Part In NBC Town Hall

Donald Trump Is The Latest World Leader To Contract Covid-19 — Here Are The Rest


<p>TikTok received a lifeline Sunday evening when a federal judge&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pacermonitor.com/view/W23REIQ/TIKTOK_INC_et_al_v_TRUMP_et_al__dcdce-20-02658__0029.0.pdf?mcid=tGE3TEOA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">issued a preliminary injunction</a>&nbsp;against the U.S. government’s decision to ban downloads of the app.</p>



<p>The ban was set to begin at midnight tonight, and the legal maneuver was TikTok’s final gambit to prevent the ban from going into effect, a decision that it had said would begin to erode its business across the world.</p>



<p>“I am very happy that the court has granted an injunction preventing the implementation of the TikTok ban that would have prohibited new users to download the app,” TikTok’s interim chief Vanessa Pappas&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://twitter.com/v_ness/status/1310390934190792704" target="_blank">wrote on Twitter</a>. “We will continue to seek to protect the rights of our users, partners, artists, employees, businesses, and creators.”</p>



<p>President Trump is forcing TikTok’s China-owned parent company, ByteDance, to sell off the app, citing concerns that ByteDance could be unduly pressured by the the Chinese government. ByteDance appears to have a deal worked out with Oracle&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/companies/oracle" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ORCL</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/companies/oracle">+0.8%</a>&nbsp;and Walmart&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/companies/walmart" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WMT</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/companies/walmart">+0.4%</a>, but the terms of the transactions aren’t clear, and both sides have made conflicting comments since announcing the deal last week.</p>



<p>The deal seems to have the U.S. government’s approval, and it now must get a sign off from China’s government. It’s not certain that Chinese authorities will do so with many critics in China unhappy about Trump’s pressure on ByteDance to spin off what was a crown jewel of the country’s technology sector into American hands.</p>



<p>TikTok was a social media phenomenon until it found itself in the president’s crosshairs. It has more than 100 million users in America, and until this summer, it was adding more than 400,000 daily users each day. Then, in August, Trump issued two executive orders that would kill the app in American, a move meant to force ByteDance into selling TikTok.</p>



<p>The first executive order is what TikTok and the government were fighting about in federal court this weekend. It prohibits new downloads but allows the app to keep operating. The second executive order would halt TikTok’s entire U.S. operations beginning Nov. 12. But even this first ban would curtail TikTok’s growth and drive users toward other competing platforms, such as Instagram, YouTube and several much smaller rivals.</p>



<p>Sunday’s court proceedings were only the latest dramatic chapter in the drama surrounding TikTok, which has played out in surprisingly public fashion and involved some of the richest and most powerful figures in politics and business. While lawyers appeared in court early Sunday morning, Judge Carl Nichols did not hand out his decision until around 8:30 this evening, hours before the ban’s start.</p>



<p><em>-By Abram Brown,Forbes Staff</em></p>


In this photo illustration the TikTok logo seen displayed on

TikTok Stays Alive With Judge Temporarily Delaying Download Ban


<p>As TikTok and Oracle&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/companies/oracle" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ORCL</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/companies/oracle">-0.3%</a>&nbsp;work out&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2020/08/27/walmart-joins-microsofts-bid-to-acquire-tiktoks-us-business/">an acquisition deal</a>, the social media company is also thinking about who will be its next CEO after its last chief, Kevin Mayer,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2020/08/27/tiktok-ceo-kevin-mayer-exits-as-company-faces-threat-of-ban-in-us/#794266db114c">departed&nbsp;</a>after only a few months.</p>



<p>One of the people in the running for the job is Instagram billionaire Kevin Systrom, who left Facebook in 2018,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/17/technology/tiktok-deal-revisions-trump-review.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to</a>&nbsp;a&nbsp;<em>New York Times&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/companies/new-york-times" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NYT</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/companies/new-york-times">-1.2%</a>&nbsp;</em>story. The discussions between Systrom and Tiktok are only in the early stages, the&nbsp;<em>Times&nbsp;</em>reports. TikTok could not be reached to comment for this story. A spokesperson for Systrom declined to comment.</p>



<p>TikTok’s divestiture from its Chinese-owned parent company ByteDance very much remains a work in progress.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-17/oracle-bytedance-said-to-accept-new-treasury-terms-on-tiktok" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bloomberg&nbsp;</a>reported this afternoon that the U.S. Treasury department has tentatively approved a deal that would leave TikTok’s U.S. operations largely in the hands of American stakeholders, including Oracle. ByteDance still needs to get approval from President Trump by Sunday, the day when a Trump-issued executive order goes into effect that would effectively ban TikTok in the U.S.</p>



<p>Mayer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/abrambrown/2020/05/20/inside-the-hunt-for-tiktoks-new-ceo-and-whats-next-for-the-worlds-hottest-app/#711472b5abb4">was seen</a>&nbsp;as a strong choice when his hiring was announced in May. He had spent years at Disney&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/companies/walt-disney" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DIS</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/companies/walt-disney">-0.1%</a>&nbsp;overseeing its M&amp;A deals and working on the launch of its streaming service, Disney+. But Mayer unexpectedly departed last month, saying he had not expected to be caught up in tensions between the U.S. government and China. Vanessa Pappas, TikTok’s general manager, has been serving as TikTok’s interim chief.</p>



<p>In Systrom, TikTok would get someone who has already created one social media giant—and someone immensely familiar with one of TikTok’s main rivals: Mark Zuckerberg. Systrom sold Instagram to Zuckerberg and Facebook in 2012 for almost $1 billion and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kathleenchaykowski/2016/08/01/instagram-the-50-billion-grand-slam-driving-facebooks-future-the-forbes-cover-story/#3fdf40ee278f">then built it up</a>&nbsp;to over a half-billion users before leaving.</p>



<p>Zuckerberg and Facebook clearly see TikTok as a threat already. Instagram has rolled out a number of new features that copy TikTok, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/abrambrown/2020/08/05/instagram-intensifies-battle-with-tiktok-as-influencers-ponder-their-options/">a short-form-video editing tool</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/abrambrown/2020/08/19/instagram-reaches-for-more-of-tiktoks-magic-with-a-change-to-its-main-feed/">changed its main feed</a>&nbsp;to make it more like TikTok. In Washington, Zuckerberg&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-ceo-mark-zuckerberg-stoked-washingtons-fears-about-tiktok-11598223133" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reportedly</a>&nbsp;stressed to politicians that TikTok was a threat to American users; Trump and other Republicans have expressed worry that TikTok may mishandle user data to satisfy the Chinese government.</p>



<p>Add Systrom to the mix, and the battle between TikTok and Facebook becomes one of the most intriguing rivalries in the corporate world.</p>



<p><em>By Abram Brown,Forbes Staff</em></p>


Tag: Donald Trump

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