Former US President Donald Trump has made a significant return to the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, with a series of campaign-related posts. This marks a notable shift in his social media strategy, as Trump had been largely absent from the platform since his reinstatement by X owner Elon Musk in 2022. Interestingly, X, then Twitter, permanently banned Donald Trump in 2021 for spreading disinformation that sparked the January 6, 2021, attack on Congress.
Trump’s recent activity on X appears primarily campaign-driven. His account is used to share political advertisements. One of the most prominent posts, which has garnered over 14 million views, addresses the nation’s current state.
“Are you better off now than you were when I was president? Our economy is shattered. Our border has been erased. We’re a nation in decline. Make the American Dream AFFORDABLE again. Make America SAFE again. Make America GREAT Again! #TrumpOnX”
This tweet echoes familiar themes from Trump’s previous campaigns, focusing on economic concerns, border security, and his “Make America Great Again” slogan.
Other posts from Trump’s account include campaign slogans and criticisms of political opponents.
“MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! http://DONALDJTRUMP.COM”
“TRUMP WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING! http://DONALDJTRUMP.COM”
“MEET SAN FRANCISCO RADICAL KAMALA HARRIS! https://t.co/MlIKklPSJT”
The former president’s return to X coincided with a conversation with Elon Musk on the platform’s Spaces. The event faced technical difficulties, reportedly due to a potential Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack, causing a delay of nearly an hour.
When the conversation eventually began, Musk praised Trump for his handling of a recent assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The discussion covered various topics, including illegal border crossings, the pandemic, and Trump’s political rival, Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump’s ban from X, then Twitter, came in January 2021 after the platform deemed his posts as inciting violence and spreading misinformation. The decision was made after the Capitol riots, where Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol in an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. This ban marked the most extensive disciplinary action a major social media platform had taken against Trump, who frequently used his account to share official policies, criticize opponents, and spread misinformation.
For several years, Twitter faced pressure from critics to curb the spread of Trump’s tweets, which were often filled with falsehoods. There had been increasing demands for the platform to ban Trump entirely.
With his recent return to X, Trump has rejoined a platform that he used extensively in the past and continues to be a focal point in the political landscape. His recent activities highlight the ongoing debate surrounding online platforms, free speech, and the role of social media in politics.
