- Trump returns to X after a long break
After a long hiatus, Republican Donald Trump has returned to the platform X, posting a series of messages on his account. It's been nearly a year since his last contribution to the platform, which he used extensively during his presidency.
Trump kicked off his return with a campaign video, portraying his political journey from his 2016 election victory to his current presidential candidacy as a relentless struggle against opposition, casting himself as a hero who refuses to be deterred.
He followed up with several other clips and campaign materials, and promotion for his upcoming exchange with X owner Elon Musk, who has openly supported Trump's current presidential campaign.
Trump's last post on X was in late August 2023, when he shared his mugshot from an Atlanta jail after surrendering to authorities following his indictment in Georgia on charges of election interference. Trump is the first former U.S. president to be indicted, and the first to be booked and photographed in a jail.
Before his return, Trump's account on the platform, which he used extensively during his presidency, had been silent for over two and a half years. The platform, which was later renamed X after being acquired by Musk in 2022, had been a significant communication channel for Trump, who still maintains a substantial following of over 88 million.
Trump was banned from major online platforms towards the end of his presidency after his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. His messages before and after the attack showed open sympathy for the rioters, leading platform operators to fear further violence if he remained active. They subsequently blocked his accounts.
Since then, Trump has regained access to major online services and has been active on several channels. However, he had not used X much until now, despite Musk reinstating his account in late 2022. Instead, Trump launched his own Twitter-like platform, Truth Social, which he uses extensively. However, his reach on Truth Social is significantly smaller, with around 7.5 million subscribers.
Trump's return to the platform after a long absence was met with enthusiasm by his 88 million followers, who were eager to engage with his political messages once again. Despite having a smaller following on his own Twitter-like platform, Trump continues to utilize both platforms as a formidable platform for expressing his political views and engaging with his supporters.
