Social media exploded at the return of former President Donald Trump on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Trump posted on X for the first time since Jan. 8, 2021, when he was banned from the platform in the aftermath of Jan. 6. While his account was reinstated when Elon Musk took over the platform in November 2022, Trump did not share anything to the platform and remained on his own social media site Truth Social.
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The first X post from the former president included his mug shot, released by the Fulton County Sheriff's Office. He captioned the photo with the date, a link to his fundraising site, and the phrase, "ELECTION INTERFERENCE. NEVER SURRENDER!"
"Next level," Musk wrote in a response to the post.
Next-level https://t.co/E81JKWTJPS
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 25, 2023
"Cowards indict their opponents," Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) wrote. "Leaders just lead."
Cowards indict their opponents. Leaders just lead. https://t.co/c8YfQQmShf
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) August 25, 2023
"All the best people have mug shots," former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne posted, along with his mug shot. Byrne was arrested in 2013 for attempting to get through TSA at the Salt Lake City International Airport with a handgun. The former CEO was also in a Dec. 18, 2020, meeting in the Oval Office with Trump, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, attorney Sidney Powell, and other White House staff in which strategies for overturning the results of the 2020 election were discussed.
All the best people have mug shots. https://t.co/ZOOGywdDst pic.twitter.com/EeTc7XMIsN
— Patrick Byrne (@PatrickByrne) August 25, 2023
"I stand with [Donald Trump!] The political witch-hunt has to stop," suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton wrote. "Safe, secure elections matter and you always have the right to question them."
I stand with @realDonaldTrump! The political witch-hunt has to stop. Safe, secure, elections matter and you always have the right to question them. https://t.co/ILIggmnY9y
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) August 25, 2023
"If liberals really believed in democracy, they'd make their points on the campaign trail instead of the courtroom," Young America's Foundation President Scott Walker posted. "Truth is, they don't want people to even have a chance to vote for [Trump]."
If liberals really believed in democracy, they’d make their points on the campaign trail instead of the courtroom. Truth is, they don’t want people to even have a chance to vote for @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/v8RJ3mNVdZ
— Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) August 25, 2023
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Trump had been losing followers on the platform for every day he didn't post after his account was reinstated. After his first post on Thursday, he gained over 160,000 followers and over 260,000 as of midday Friday.
The former president is facing off against 13 opponents for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. It remains to be seen if Trump would run as a third-party candidate should he not win the nomination, as he refused to sign the Republican National Committee's loyalty pledge.