In a dramatic turn of events, former United States President Donald Trump has returned to the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, after being permanently banned in January 2021 following the Capitol riots.
Trump’s account was reinstated on X late last night, quickly gaining over 10 million followers in just a few hours. His first message back on the platform was typically defiant, stating “We will never surrender! Kicked off in 2021 for doing absolutely nothing wrong, I’m back – as will be America. Never forget!!!”
The post has already received over 2 million likes, breaking X’s record for the most-liked post ever.
Trump was banned from X and several other major social media platforms in the aftermath of the January 6 Capitol attack, with the companies citing concerns that he would incite further violence. The bans fueled ongoing debates about free speech, censorship, and the power of big tech companies.
X’s new owner and CEO, tech billionaire Elon Musk, had vocalized disagreement with Trump’s permanent ban and reiterated his commitment to free speech by allowing several other previously banned or suspended accounts back onto X since his takeover in October 2022.
Many Republicans and Trump supporters have praised Musk for reinstating Trump’s account as a win for free speech. However, others remain concerned it could lead to real-world harm.
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Trump himself had also said previously that he would likely not return to X even if his account was reinstated, preferring instead to post on his own social media platform, Truth Social.
However, following months of technical glitches and lackluster user numbers on Truth Social, it seems Trump has had a change of heart. Political analysts predict he could not resist the temptation of X’s vastly larger reach, now a key platform for political discourse and influence.
The 2024 US Presidential race is already heating up, despite being over 18 months away. Trump has not formally declared his candidacy yet, but strong polling numbers and his enduring popularity amongst the Republican base have strengthened expectations he will run again.
And with Trump now back on X with access to its hundreds of millions of users worldwide, he has a direct line of communication with supporters – and critics – that vastly dwarfs the reach of any other platform. Political pundits on both sides of the spectrum have acknowledged this will likely increase speculation of a 2024 campaign.
President Joe Biden, Trump’s Democratic rival and incumbent President preparing to run for re-election in 2024, has refrained from commenting on Trump’s return to X.
However, political insiders expect Biden and other senior Democrats may seek to portray Trump’s return as a threat to democracy and a sign the former President has not left the political stage. Some Democrat strategists have even suggested Trump’s social media presence could become a focal point of their midterm campaigns.
In the few hours since his return, Trump has posted or re-posted over 30 messages on various topics from border control to windmills. He has also changed his profile header image to one of him peering defiantly over an American flag.
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While allies welcome Trump’s return as an opportunity to amplify his voice, critics are concerned it backs Trump back to unfiltered access to millions who had only just begun accepting he might be politically neutralized. Having Trump back in the social media spotlight is an unwelcome blast from the past for those eager to move on from his legacy.
Nonetheless, love him or loathe him, Donald Trump is well and truly back on social media. And whatever the repercussions, one thing is beyond doubt – it certainly will not be boring.
