Twitter says it won't silence world leaders after calls to mute Trump

Twitter has said it will not block world leaders or remove their "controversial tweets" amid calls to remove US president Donald Trump from the platform.

In a blog the company said Twitter exists to "serve and help advance the global, public conversation" and therefore would not remove content from elected world leaders.

It comes after Mr Trump wrote a controversial tweet about North Korea, which prompted to calls for him to be banned from the site.

Earlier in the week, Trump tweeted: "North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the 'Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times."

After "a lot of discussion about political figures and world leaders on Twitter", the website said: "Twitter is here to serve and help advance the global, public conversation.

"Elected world leaders play a critical role in that conversation because of their outsized impact on our society.

"Blocking a world leader from Twitter or removing their controversial Tweets, would hide important information people should be able to see and debate.

"It would also not silence that leader, but it would certainly hamper necessary discussion around their words and actions.

"We review Tweets by leaders within the political context that defines them, and enforce our rules accordingly. No one person's account drives Twitter's growth, or influences these decisions."

It added: "We work hard to remain unbiased with the public interest in mind."