Jim Banks Complies with Twitter’s Rules After Post About Transgender Official

Indiana Congressman Jim Banks has regained access to his official Twitter account following the deletion of a post that violated the platform’s policies. The Republican representative complied with Twitter’s demand to remove his 19 October post about Dr Rachel Levine, the first openly transgender four-star officer in the U.S. uniformed services and the Assistant Secretary of Health.

Banks, a vocal supporter of Donald Trump and leader of the Republican Study Committee, had criticised Levine’s promotion in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. His tweet stated, “The title of first female four-star officer gets taken by a man,” prompting Twitter to flag the post for violating its policy against “targeted misgendering” of transgender individuals.

The post was removed, and Banks’ account was suspended on 23 October. Twitter spokesperson Trenton Kennedy confirmed that Banks followed the necessary steps to acknowledge the rule violation, allowing him to restore access and post a video announcing his return with the caption, “I’m back.”

Banks stood by his original statement despite deleting the post, describing Twitter’s enforcement as “biased and arbitrary censorship.” He added, “Twitter is a vital platform for elected officials to engage with voters, which makes its selective censorship a serious concern. Fighting against this will remain a priority during my time in Congress.”

Banks, who represents northeastern Indiana, has frequently garnered attention for his right-wing social media commentary. Earlier this year, he was appointed by House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy to serve on the committee investigating the 6 January Capitol insurrection. However, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejected the nomination, citing concerns over maintaining the investigation’s integrity.