Donald Trump’s Twitter account ‘must be removed’: House of Cards creator details the reasons why

'Only one person on Twitter is President of the United States. That comes with a supreme and unique responsibility unlike any other user'

(Getty)

House of Cards creator and vocal opponent of Donald Trump Beau Willimon has suggested that the president’s Twitter account “facilitates national security threats” and must be taken down in accordance with the social network’s rules.

Willimon wrote an argument in 16 parts on his own Twitter feed, coming off the back of Trump’s string of tweets accusing President Obama of tapping his phones in Trump Tower and declaring him a “bad (or sick) guy!”

The writer-director, who recently moved on from House of Cards, noted that “even as a private citizen it is arguable that [Trump] has violated Twitter rules regarding violent threats, harassment and hateful conduct,” and said that being president of the US on Twitter comes with a “unique responsibility” as every tweet has a “significant impact on the business of governance, world affairs and national security.”

Willimon’s argument in full:

1. Today's tantrum is just the latest example of why @realDonaldTrump & @POTUS must be removed from @Twitter. Here's my full argument...

2. Only one person on @Twitter is President of the United States. That comes with a supreme and unique responsibility unlike any other user.

3. What the President tweets has real and significant impact on the business of governance, world affairs and national security.

4. President Trump has consistently made misleading claims, attacked the judiciary and threatened sovereign states, the press & public.

5. His tweets recklessly bypass diplomatic channels without consultation from the State Department, IC or the Pentagon.

6. Even as a private citizen it is arguable that he has violated Twitter rules regarding violent threats, harassment and hateful conduct.

7. Certainly in the unique position of @POTUS the repercussions and intimations his tweets cross these lines.

8. Today's outburst is broadcasting to foreign leaders his continuing impulsiveness, recklessness, delusion & ignorance about gov't.

9. That makes @RealDonaldTrump's tweets a national security threat. It emboldens our enemies to take advantage of his flagrant shortcomings.

10. For those who would argue that the removal of his account is a violation of free speech, consider this...

11. The WH has retaliated against the press by selectively locking them out, called them "the enemy of the people" & ignored hard questions.

12. But with his behavior on this service, Trump makes the argument for himself being a liability to the people.

13. The President is free to say whatever he wants, and has many of ways of doing so, but no private company owes him an outlet.

14. While you cannot prevent the President from saying reckless things elsewhere, @Twitter is not obligated to facilitate that here.

15. In fact, with your worldwide reach & impact on the media, you have a duty to steer clear of accounts facilitating nat'l security threats

16. @Twitter is amazing. It connects the world. That comes with its own responsibility: to do your part in protecting that world. /Thread