Senator Steve Daines thanks Elon Musk for breaking him out of ‘Twitter Jail’ for a hunting photo

Republican Senator Steve Daines was briefly suspended from Twitter on Tuesday after posting a profile picture that showed him posing with his wife and a freshly killed Montana antelope while on a hunting trip.

Twitter owner Elon Musk chimed in around lunchtime and said “this is being fixed.”

“The policy against showing blood in profile picture is being changed to ‘Clearly show blood without clicking on profile picture,’” Musk tweeted. “The intention is to prevent people from being forced to see horrible profile pictures.”

The dead animal is slightly bloodied in Daines’ photo.

‘I’m free! Thank you, Elon Musk,’ Daines wrote in response, sharing an illustration tweeted by Sen. Ted Cruz that showed the Montana senator behind bars and holding up the so-called ‘Twitter Jail’ antelope photo.

On Tuesday, Senator Steve Daines’ profile picture and cover photo of Twitter account disappeared, along with his tweets, saying the “account is temporarily unavailable because it violates Twitter’s media policy.”

Around lunchtime, Twitter owner Elon Musk joined the conversation and said “this is being fixed” as the rules are changed to make it easier for people to post hunting pictures.

Senator Steve Daines thanked Elon Musk upon his release Tuesday afternoon from the so-called ‘Twitter Jail’

Daines’ account was made “temporarily unavailable” because the lawmaker violated the “Twitter Media Policy”, its Twitter page reads, with the company claiming the Montana Republican violated the “Media Policy sensitive” because it contained “graphic or adult content”.

“You may not include graphic violence or adult content in your profile picture or profile header image,” Twitter said. “We consider graphic violence to be any form of gory media related to death, serious injury, violence, or surgery.”

A spokesperson for Daines told DailyMail.com that Twitter informed the senator that his account would be reinstated once he deleted the profile picture.

“We’ve reached out to Twitter to resolve this issue because the senator thinks it’s absurd that a photo of him and his wife hunting – an activity ingrained in the Montana way of life – is against Twitter’s rules. “said spokeswoman Rachel. Dumke said before Musk responded via Twitter.

Later, in a statement, Daines said he was “grateful” that Musk reached out to him to address the issue.

“The initial profile picture ban of my wife and I after a successful antelope hunt in Montana was disappointing given that it is no different from the photos that Montanese people share every day on social media,” Daine said. “It’s our way of life in Montana and we’re proud of it.”

“I’m glad Elon Musk recognizes that,” he added. “The rest of the country benefits from accepting diverse thoughts and values, including Montana values.”

Daines’ GOP colleagues called on Twitter to immediately reverse the decision Tuesday morning.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz said, “If you don’t like hunting, fine, don’t go.” But don’t censor those who disagree.

“And I’m pretty sure that’s a formal job responsibility for a Montana senator!” Cruz added.

Montana Congressman Rep. Ryan Zinke added, “This is the family photo that put Steve Daines in jail on Twitter.” Stop censoring our Montana way of life! Great shot, Cindy! »

Donald Trump Jr., an avid hunter himself, tweeted: “Twitter ridiculously suspended Senator Daines because his profile picture is of him and his wife hunting… What a shame!”

“It’s not graphic violence. It’s a way of life ingrained in the fabric of America from Montana to Georgia and beyond! I’m with my friend, Senator Steve Daines,’ Rep. Buddy Carter, a Republican from Georgia, tweeted.

Senator Mike Rounds, a Republican from South Dakota, trolled Twitter by posting his own pheasant hunting photo.

‘Hey Elon Musk – Why is Twitter putting Senator Steve Daines in jail on Twitter? For his wife to be a good shooter? Guess since I updated my profile picture, I better surrender. #FreeSteveDaines #NewProfilePic,’ Rounds wrote.

A spokesperson for the Republican National Senate Committee said NC: ‘It’s insane. Twitter should immediately rescind this suspension.’

Daines is the current president of the NRSC.

Daines’ account was briefly suspended Tuesday morning, only to be locked again moments later.

Senator Ted Cruz has expressed disgust that Twitter is suspending Senator Steve Daines’ account for his decision to post a photo of an antelope he killed on a hunting trip with his wife Cindy.

Donald Trump Jr., an avid hunter himself, called Twitter’s decision a ‘disgrace’

Senator Mike Rounds, a Republican from South Dakota, trolled Twitter by posting his own hunting photo, with two dead pheasants

Senator Steve Daines (right) and his wife Cindy (left) pose for a photo in their hunting gear

Conservatives applauded billionaire Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter because they believed the social media site would be less inclined to punish users.

Republicans have long feared being “shadowbanished” by Twitter.

Additionally, a number of right-wing figures have had their accounts suspended over the years.

Former President Donald Trump lost access to his Twitter account after the January 6 attack on the United States Capitol.

Under Musk, Twitter has reinstated a number of prominent right-wing accounts, but some people have already gotten themselves banned from the social network again.

Prominent white supremacist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes, who made waves when he dined at Mar-a-Lago with Trump in November, was suspended from Twitter last month, just a day after reactivating of his account.

Fuentes’ dining partner at Mar-a-Lago, anti-Semitic rapper Kanye West, was suspended from Twitter in December after posting an image of a Star of David containing a swastika.

Trump is allowed to use his Twitter account again, but so far he hasn’t tweeted, telling his followers he will remain on his own network, Truth Social.