In an op-ed published by the Wall Street Journal under a “Donald J. Trump” byline, a ghostwriter claims that “Big Tech has been illegally deputized as the censorship arm of the U.S. government,” while failing to mention that he was in charge of the US government when this deputization reportedly happened.

In a piece titled “Why I’m Suing Big Tech,” Trump claims that “Social media has become as central to free speech as town meeting halls, newspapers and television networks were in prior generations,” without noting that meeting halls, newspapers and television networks have the legal authority to ban content or events from being included in their venues.

Trump goes on to whine about how social media companies deleted false information being posted about hydroxychloroquine being a miracle cure for coronavirus; about a Chinese lab intentionally developing and releasing the coronavirus; and–you saw this coming–Hunter Biden’s laptop. 

“Perhaps most egregious, in the weeks after the election, Big Tech blocked the social-media accounts of the sitting president,” Trump whines without taking responsibility for promoting violence and undermining the US Constitution.  “If they can do it to me, they can do it to you—and believe me, they are.”  Trump fails to recognize that even as a claimed rich white guy, he is subject to the same laws as everyone.

“This coercion and coordination is unconstitutional,” Trump’s ghostwriter falsely claims.  “The Supreme Court has held that Congress can’t use private actors to achieve what the Constitution prohibits it from doing itself. In effect, Big Tech has been illegally deputized as the censorship arm of the U.S. government. This should alarm you no matter your political persuasion. It is unacceptable, unlawful and un-American.”

Private companies are not part of the government, which is barred from censoring people under the First Amendment, and no group has “deputized” social media companies.