Donald Trump is set to make a live appearance on X, the platform that banned him after the events of January 6, 2021, when the U.S. Capitol was stormed. The interview, scheduled for Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern Time, will be hosted by Elon Musk, the owner of X. Musk has labeled it a “live conversation” with no predetermined topics, promising an engaging discussion. X users are encouraged to submit their own questions for Trump.
This conversation provides an opportunity for Trump to directly engage with millions of potential voters and serves as a chance for X, a platform with a strong focus on politics, to improve its reputation after facing some challenges.
X has been a notable platform during the 2024 election cycle. Trump used X to counterprogram the first GOP presidential debate by appearing in an interview with Tucker Carlson. President Joe Biden also used the platform to announce his withdrawal from the campaign. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis officially announced his presidential bid on X, though it faced technical issues due to high demand.
Prior to his conversation with Trump, Musk mentioned that X was conducting system scaling tests to handle the expected high volume of participants. Musk, who previously identified as a Democrat, endorsed Trump’s candidacy following an attempt on Trump’s life at a rally.
In addition, Musk has been vocal about his political views on X, engaging in disputes with individuals and promoting certain narratives. He reinstated banned accounts like Alex Jones and Trump, who was removed from the platform, then known as Twitter, after the events of January 6. Musk acquired the company in 2022, leading to the reinstatement of Trump’s account.
Trump’s following on X is significantly larger than on his own platform, Truth Social. His interview with Musk will reach a larger audience, as Musk has a substantial following. It’s unclear whether Trump will share the interview on his other accounts.
Despite being relatively inactive on X, Trump’s upcoming interview signifies a return to the platform that banned him.
Contact Meg Kinnard at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP for more information.
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