After turning himself in at an Atlanta jail on charges related to his alleged involvement in overturning the 2020 election results in Georgia, former President Donald Trump has made a return to X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter.
(Photo : Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 24: Former U.S. President Donald Trump gives a thumbs up as he arrives at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on August 24, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Trump's X Comeback
In a notable comeback, The Verge reported that Donald Trump shared his first message on X in over two and a half years. The message featured his mugshot and the words "Election interference. Never surrender!" accompanied by a link to his fundraising website.
Marking his return to the platform, this message from Trump is his first since January 8, 2021, when Twitter suspended his account indefinitely, citing concerns about potential incitement of violence following the U.S. Capitol attack.
While Elon Musk's involvement led to Trump's account restoration in November, he chose not to tweet again, expressing contentment with his own Truth Social platform, which he introduced during his suspension.
Being a prominent contender for the Republican presidential nomination, Trump had consistently alluded to his eventual return to the platform, choosing the "right time" for his comeback, as noted by an individual familiar with his discussions.
This insight was shared under anonymity due to the confidential nature of the conversations, as per Associated Press. Trump's reentry into the digital sphere occurred during his journey back from Atlanta to his summer residence in New Jersey, taking place while he was aboard his private aircraft on Thursday evening.
The nature of Trump's future engagement on the platform remains uncertain-whether this post stands as a singular occurrence or signifies a regular posting pattern. He had previously shared the same message on Truth Social earlier that evening, concurrently maintaining his endorsement of the site as the night progressed.
"I LOVE TRUTH SOCIAL. IT IS MY HOME!!!" he stated. Notably, this message represents a form of homecoming for Trump to a vital communication channel-one that played a pivotal role in his triumph over competitors during the 2016 primary and his ability to commandeer the news cycle for an extended period.
Possible Reasons
Back in January this year, Rolling Stone disclosed that Trump displayed reluctance to extend his exclusivity agreement with Truth Social, which was originally slated to conclude in June. Nevertheless, he initially shared his mug shot image on the Truth Social platform earlier on Thursday evening.
Preceding this, he participated in a video interview alongside Tucker Carlson on X-a move synchronized with the timing of the inaugural GOP 2024 presidential debate. Notably, Tucker Carlson, having departed from the Fox News network in May, relocated his show to X as a continuation of his broadcasting presence.
In November 18, 2022, Musk engaged in a Twitter poll, inquiring whether Trump should be reinstated on the platform. Just a day later, Musk confirmed his decision to reinstate Trump based on the outcomes of this poll, which garnered roughly 15 million responses. The majority, 51.8 percent, voted in favor, while 48.2 percent were opposed.
At that time, the former president conveyed that he perceived no urgency to return, attributing his absence to the thriving performance of Truth Social. Trump also expressed reservations about Twitter, citing "a lot of problems" he identified with the platform. Nevertheless, he urged his supporters to cast their votes in favor of his reinstatement in the poll.
Related Article: Donald Trump's Twitter Return to Happen? Elon Musk Posts Poll - Majority Says Yes
