Trump says he’d love to ‘get rid of my whole Twitter account’

President Trump said Thursday that he’d get rid of his Twitter account if he didn’t find it necessary to push back against “fake news.”

“If we had a fair press in this country, I would do that in a heartbeat,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked if he had considered deleting his account on the platform given his recent criticism of the social media giant.

“There’s nothing I’d rather do than get rid of my whole Twitter account,” he added.

Trump’s comments came shortly before he signed an executive order targeting legal protections for social media firms after he slammed Twitter this week for fact-checking some of his posts.

The executive order calls for new provisions to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which gives social media platforms such as Twitter legal immunity from content that is posted by third-party users. It also allows the sites to moderate their content in good faith.

President @realDonaldTrump: “There’s nothing I’d rather do than get rid of my whole Twitter account.” pic.twitter.com/Giz99p1sG2

— The Hill (@thehill) May 28, 2020

Trump noted Thursday that he’s able to reach many people on Twitter. His account currently boasts more than 80 million followers, making him one of the most followed people in the world, and he often uses the platform to announce policy moves or personnel changes in his administration.

The president has been an avid tweeter since long before he ran for office, and he has used the platform throughout his presidency, often going after his perceived rivals in personal terms.

Critics of Trump have often complained to Twitter about the president’s rhetoric on the site, claiming that he frequently posts misleading or false information, violating Twitter’s community standards.

However, until Tuesday, Twitter had never fact-checked any of Trump’s tweets. The company’s decision to do so sparked consternation from the White House and its conservative allies. A day later, Trump announced that he would be signing the executive order targeting social media giants.

“We’re here today to defend free speech from one of the greatest dangers it has faced in American history, frankly, and you know what’s going on as well as anybody. It’s not good,” Trump said Thursday in signing the order.