Elon Musk reinstated Donald Trump’s Twitter account in November 2022, marking the former president’s return to the platform now known as X. Trump, who currently has more than 89 million followers, aims to regain political ground as he trails Kamala Harris by four percentage points in critical battleground states. This development comes amid ongoing scrutiny from European regulators and a significant interview scheduled with Musk.
In January 2021, Twitter suspended Trump’s account following the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. The suspension was a pivotal moment in social media history, reflecting the platform’s stance on misinformation and incitement to violence. Despite this, Musk’s acquisition of Twitter and subsequent rollback of content moderation have created a different environment, potentially offering Trump more freedom to promote his presidential campaign.
Trump has committed to posting his thoughts on Truth Social before any other platform, according to an SEC filing from Trump Media Group Corp. This commitment underscores his strategic use of social media in navigating his political journey. Notably, Trump was also suspended from Truth Social during the final days of his presidency in 2021.
Musk, boasting 194 million followers on X, has significantly influenced the platform’s direction since his takeover. His decision to reinstate Trump’s account aligns with a broader trend of relaxed content moderation that has attracted both support and criticism. European regulators have warned that X could face penalties for not adhering to EU rules on curbing misinformation. EU Commissioner Thierry Breton recently sent a letter to Musk highlighting concerns over potential circulation of violent and hateful content.
The timing of Trump’s resurgence on X coincides with Joe Biden stepping aside for Kamala Harris in the presidential race, leaving Trump as the oldest candidate vying for the presidency. Trump’s campaign has capitalized on this moment, promoting an upcoming interview with Musk as “the interview of the century.” Musk revealed the interview’s timing three weeks after Biden announced his withdrawal from the race.
Monday morning saw Trump’s account actively tweeting and retweeting campaign-style videos, signaling his intent to leverage social media as a tool for political influence. The interview with Musk is set to be a focal point, with both figures preparing for system scaling tests in advance.
Elon Musk expressed his support for Trump, stating, “I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery.” Meanwhile, Trump made a controversial remark regarding Kamala Harris’s racial identity, saying, “I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago, when she happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black.”
As Trump re-engages with X, the landscape of social media politics continues to evolve dynamically. The implications of this return will undoubtedly shape the discourse leading up to the next presidential election.