Former US President Donald Trump fumes at new extension of Facebook ban

In a statement issued on Friday Mark Zuckerburg’s platform said they would extend the ban at the end of that period and continue to re-evaluate “until that risk has receded."

"Given the gravity of the circumstances that led to Mr Trump’s suspension, we believe his actions constituted a severe violation of our rules which merit the highest penalty available under the new enforcement protocols,” the statement reads.

Facebook chief Zuckerberg banned Trump from the platform in the wake of the Capitol riot, saying it was too great a risk to America for Trump to remain on the platform.

That initial suspension which came down on January 7 remains in place and when the new ban is eventually lifted "there will be a strict set of rapidly escalating sanctions that will be triggered" if Trump disobeys the rules.

In a statement issued by his office, Trump criticised Facebook’s decision, calling it an insult to his voters and falsely claiming that the 2020 presidential election was rigged.

He added: "[Facebook] shouldn’t be allowed to get away with this censoring and silencing and, ultimately, we will win. Our country can’t take this abuse anymore!"

He later fired off another statement aimed directly at the Facebook boss, saying: "Next time I’m in the White House there will be no more dinners, at his request, with Mark Zuckerberg and his wife."

Trump signed off, "It will be all business!"