On Monday, Donald Trump made a high-profile return to the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, after being banned for over three years. His comeback was marked by a series of campaign videos and a scheduled live interview with tech billionaire Elon Musk.
This reappearance on X, where Trump boasts over 88 million followers, provides him a significant platform to directly communicate his political message to a broad audience as he faces a challenging race against Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.
Before Monday, Trump had only interacted with X once since Musk’s acquisition and his subsequent reinstatement in November 2022. As the GOP nominee struggles to maintain campaign momentum, recent polls show a narrowing lead following President Biden’s endorsement of Harris on July 21. This renewed activity on X may help Trump counteract the diminishing support he has experienced.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk, who will be conducting the interview, has more than 193 million followers on X. For Musk, Trump’s return is a strategic move to revitalize the social media platform and reinforce its role as a major player in political discourse.
Musk’s tenure has been marked by significant changes, including staff reductions and a shift in content moderation policies, which have led to a decline in followers and advertisers, alongside increased competition from other platforms.
Trump’s return to X also comes amid criticisms from the Harris campaign, which has dismissed the interview as a venue for spreading misinformation. Harris’ spokesperson accused Trump and Musk of using the platform to propagate a divisive agenda and criticized Musk’s motivations as being financially driven. This statement reflects ongoing tensions and the highly polarized nature of current U.S. politics.
Despite his return to X, Trump continues to be active on Truth Social, a platform he launched in response to his bans from major social media sites. While he has fewer followers there compared to X, Trump’s engagement with Truth Social remains strong. The uncertainty of how his presence on multiple platforms will influence his campaign is a crucial factor as he seeks to consolidate his support in key battleground states.
