For the first time in over 2½ years, former President Donald Trump posted on X, formerly Twitter, sharing a link to his website and a photo of his Fulton County, Georgia, mug shot with the caption, “ELECTION INTERFERENCE / NEVER SURRENDER!” 

Media expert Beverly Hallberg, president of District Media Group, suggested that this was a positive development for X since Musk’s acquisition. Trump previously stated he wouldn’t return to the platform, leaving uncertainties about his future engagement, especially considering his involvement with his own tech venture Truth Social.

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“The best thing that could happen to X is for Donald Trump to return, and I’m sure Elon Musk has been angling for it. Not only would he increase engagement due to the likely volume of tweets, but it would also bring back liberals who left due to Musk taking over. Trump boosts TV ratings, and Trump increases social media analytics,” Hallberg said.

This heightened engagement could serve as a selling point for X in its efforts to lure advertisers back to the platform. Nevertheless, Trump’s return might raise fresh concerns for advertisers, some of whom scaled back their spending because of fears over their ads appearing alongside controversial or potentially objectionable content as Musk reduced content moderation on the site.

Fox News contributor Joe Concha highlighted Trump’s extensive X following, which far exceeds his audience on Truth Social. He pointed out that while Truth Social has struggled financially and created an echo chamber for right-leaning users, X remains essential for Trump to reach a broader voter base if he intends to succeed in a general election.

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Musk, who reinstated Trump’s previously banned X account in November following his acquisition of the platform, responded to Trump’s mug shot post with the words “Next-level.”  Later, he appeared to allude to the former president, without explicitly naming him, emphasizing the platform’s extraordinary ability to rapidly reach a vast audience.

If Trump resumes regular posting on X, it could significantly benefit the platform’s audience-building efforts, especially as it contends with growing competition. Following controversial policy decisions by Musk, several Twitterlike alternatives emerged as users explore other platforms, including Meta Platform Inc.’s Threads.

Since Musk acquired X, he has consistently advocated for free speech on the platform, particularly as a haven for conservative voices that he believes have faced undue suppression. 

Trump’s rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, made his White House bid announcement in May during an interview with Musk on the platform. 

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