No. 20-197October Term 2020Decided Apr 5, 2021Updated Apr 5, 2021
Biden v. Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia Uni v.
This case concerned whether President Trump violated the First Amendment by blocking critics from his personal Twitter account after using that account to communicate official government business.
Case status
Decided · April 5, 2021
Read the opinion (PDF)- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Apr 5, 2021
- What it's about
This case concerned whether President Trump violated the First Amendment by blocking critics from his personal Twitter account after using that account to communicate official government business. The Supreme Court granted review but then vacated the lower court’s decision and sent the case back with instructions to dismiss it as moot after the change in administration and the loss of Trump’s Twitter account.
Question presented
Whether the First Amendment deprives a government official of his right to control his personal Twitter account by blocking third-party accounts if he uses that personal account in part to announce official actions and policies.
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit / Decision released Apr 5, 2021
- Area
First Amendment
Timing
Decided April 5, 2021
The Court released its decision on April 5, 2021 without hearing oral argument.
Documents
Activity
Docket activity2
Opinion added: Opinion
Apr 5, 2021 | Court records
Brief added: Petition
Aug 20, 2020 | Court records
Related cases
Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary-source trail available.
- Note
- Plain-English explainer. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Jul 25, 2026
- Method
- Methodology