Former President Donald Trump has returned to X, the social network previously known as Twitter, after being permanently banned from the platform in January 2021. He made his first post on X since his ban, coinciding with his arrest on multiple charges related to his alleged attempts to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results. Trump’s mugshot was taken for the first time during this arrest. The former president has faced criminal charges in four separate cases over the past five months. Since being banned from Twitter, Trump has started his own social media platform called Truth Social, while Twitter has been rebranded as X after being acquired by Elon Musk.
In January of this year, it was reported that Trump had no intention of renewing his exclusivity contract with Truth Social, which was set to expire in June. Despite this, he posted his mugshot image on Truth Social before making his return to X. Prior to his return, Trump appeared in a video interview with Tucker Carlson on X, which was strategically timed with the first GOP 2024 presidential debate. Elon Musk, who now owns Twitter and has rebranded it as X, had conducted a poll asking users if they wanted Trump’s account reinstated, and based on the results, Trump’s account was brought back.
Before bringing back Trump’s account, Elon Musk also restored the accounts of The Babylon Bee, Kathy Griffin, and Jordan Peterson, all of which had been suspended or banned from the platform. Trump’s arrest and his mugshot being taken prompted his campaign to release a real mugshot-themed t-shirt with the slogan “NEVER SURRENDER!” Shortly after the release of his mugshot, Trump made his return to X, marking a significant development in his online presence and political activity.