Two and a half years after his departure from the platform once known as Twitter, the former president who led the campaign and service of his first term—and who was removed following the Capitol riot—returned to X this Thursday. He did so while engaging again with the competing space Truth Social, which belongs to a rival ecosystem of social networks.
In his first reply on the platform, published at 21:38, he linked to his campaign website (which redirects to a donation page) and shared a historic image captured just two hours before his surrender to Fulton County authorities, where he faced a fourth criminal charge in as many months. The caption read: “interfering with the election” and “never surrender.” [Attribution: Official campaign communications and public records]
Earlier, on Wednesday, Trump reappeared on the network through a pre-recorded interview with Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News host now broadcasting on X. The interview framed the Republican primary debate, in which Trump stood as the overwhelming favorite, drawing interest from more than 40 points ahead of his eight rivals. During the conversation, Trump touched on earlier rhetoric about violence surrounding the Capitol attack, a topic that fueled intense media attention as Musk had reactivated the account last November by lifting a previous permanent suspension, turning the platform into a focal point for discussions—described by some as a controversial “forum.” [Attribution: Network coverage and public statements]
In spite of the renewed activity, Trump chose to rejoin in his own way, rather than through others’ posts or retweets. Time will reveal how this return to political campaigning shapes his activity on X and how it will intersect with Truth Social, where he retains an economic stake, alongside his presence on his former platform where he still commands a large audience. Current follower counts cited publicly show a substantial advantage on X in total reach compared with Truth Social, underscoring the shift in cross-platform strategy during the campaign season. [Attribution: Public follower metrics and company disclosures]
Earlier this year, the issue of platform participation spread to other major social networks as well. Facebook’s Meta company reactivated its account on a major platform after the Capitol attack, illustrating how major players have adapted their posting strategies. Yet, in recent months, Trump’s online presence has largely concentrated on Truth Social; according to filings submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, he had at least maintained a rhythm of posting before expanding his distribution to a wider set of networks. The evolving pattern highlights how campaign communications are distributed across multiple channels while prioritizing venues with strong follower engagement. [Attribution: SEC filings and public disclosures]