Trump Returns To X For Live Interview

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump returned to X, formerly Twitter, for the first time in nearly a year for a live interview on the platform with X owner Elon Musk, as he sought publicity for his campaign ahead of the November election.

Trump posted numerous messages ahead of the interview, which took place live on Trump’s X account on Monday night.

The two-hour interview was marred by mild technical issues that Trump and Musk blamed, without providing evidence, on foreign adversaries or political opponents.

Trump’s previous post before Monday was one in August 2023 when he appealed for donations and posted a mug shot after he was booked into an Atlanta jail in relation to felony charges tied to his efforts to overturn his 2020 election defeat in Georgia.

Live interview

The candidate’s access to X was restored a month after Musk bought the platform in late 2022, after he was banned from X and other social media outlets following the 6 January 2021 attack on Congress by his supporters.

In response Trump founded the Truth Social network, a platform where he posts frequently but has a far smaller audience.

Truth Social owner Trump Media & Technology Group went public in March and have proven volatile ever since, often rising and falling based on events in Trump’s life and campaign.

On Monday Trump posted a videos supporting his claim that he is being politically persecuted through various court cases and messages such as, “This is the final battle. With you at my side, we will demolish the deep state”, as well as attacks on rival Kamala Harris.

Musk, meanwhile, supported Joe Biden in the 2020 election but has since shifted stance and endorsed Trump last month.

The Tesla chief executive also founded an external super political action committee (PAC) to support Trump, which federal records show has spent $21m to support the candidate and oppose the Democrats.

Political support

Trump has previously campaigned against electric vehicle subsidies, but said at an August rally he had changed his mind.

“I’m for electric cars. I have to be, because Elon endorsed me very strongly. So I have no choice,” he said.

The Biden administration has supported EVs through tax credits and other measures as part of a plan to reduce carbon emissions.

Tesla continues to lobby for pro-EV measures supported by the Biden administration and opposed by Trump, such as stricter emissions controls in California, Reuters reported this week.

Musk has also embraced right-wing narratives around issues such as immigration, with UK prime minister Kier Starmer criticised him for reposting inflammatory messages on the issue amidst anti-immigrant violence across the country in recent days.