WASHINGTON,- Former President Donald Trump made a return to the social media platform X on Monday, just hours before an anticipated interview with billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk.
The interview, set for 8 p.m. Eastern Time (0000 GMT Tuesday), could provide Trump a platform to reinvigorate his presidential campaign, which has recently been seen as faltering.
Trump’s Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, has recently closed the gap in opinion polls and energized her base through a series of dynamic rallies. Trump’s return to X marks his first activity on the platform in a year. He kicked off his return with a video reiterating his claims that the four criminal cases against him are politically driven, quickly followed by several additional posts, suggesting a potential increase in his activity on the platform.
Trump’s last post on X, dated August 2023, featured a mug shot taken during his booking at an Atlanta jail related to charges stemming from his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. His access to X was restored shortly after Musk acquired the platform, following a suspension by the previous owners after the January 6, 2021, attack on Congress by Trump supporters.
Although Trump has been active on his Truth Social platform since its launch in February 2022, his audience there is significantly smaller than on X. The upcoming interview with Musk on X could introduce Trump to a different audience beyond his usual supporters who attend his rallies and follow his appearances on Fox News. However, similar events on the platform have faced technical challenges in the past.
Musk, who previously backed President Joe Biden in 2020, has since shifted to the right, endorsing Trump following an assassination attempt on the former president in July. Musk, the CEO of Tesla, also launched a super PAC to support Trump’s campaign, which is now under investigation in Michigan for potential violations related to voter information.
In a surprising pivot, Trump recently expressed support for electric vehicles following Musk’s endorsement, despite his previous criticism of the industry. This stance contrasts with his vice-presidential running mate, Senator JD Vance, who criticized the Biden administration’s electric vehicle subsidies as benefiting the wealthy.
Musk has also been embroiled in controversies, including accusations of spreading misinformation and endorsing an antisemitic post on X. He has additionally blamed the Anti-Defamation League for a decline in advertising revenue on the platform, claims that have drawn widespread criticism.
The interview between Trump and Musk is expected to attract significant attention as the 2024 presidential race heats up, offering both figures a stage to potentially reshape the election narrative.
Source: Reuters