Despite publicly supporting Donald Trump and reportedly making a substantial financial contribution to his campaign, Elon Musk has yet to see the former U.S. president utilise his social media platform, X. In fact, Trump has been inactive on the widely used microblogging site since 2021.
Musk allegedly pledged $45 million monthly to support Trump's election campaign. The billionaire owner of X is oddly fixated on a former president, pleading for any kind of post. But Trump, in a twist of fate, remains unmoved.
Why Has Trump Stayed Off Twitter Since 2021?
Trump has abstained from tweeting since 2021, aside from sharing a mugshot and a link to his website last August. The reason lies in his exclusive agreement with Truth Social, a platform owned by his Trump Media & Technology Group, where he holds a 60 percent stake under the ticker symbol DJT.
The agreement stipulates that any of his posts must remain exclusive to Truth Social for six hours before being shared on other platforms. While Trump can repost the same content to X after this period, he has chosen not to do so.
Elon Musk's Support For Donald Trump
Musk publicly endorsed Trump following the recent tragic shooting. Additionally, the billionaire pledged approximately $45 million monthly to a new Trump-focused super PAC. The endorsement and financial backing are not the only significant actions Musk has taken in favour of Trump.
Shortly after acquiring Twitter, Musk's initial move was to restore Trump's account, which previous management had suspended following the January 6 insurrection. Musk conducted a user poll and declared, "The people have spoken," when reinstating the former president's account.
However, Trump declared he would not return to Twitter even if his account were reinstated after the tech mogul acquired the platform. He preferred to remain active on his own site, Truth Social.
Trump's tweets were a major source of attention. Business Insider's senior correspondent Katie Notopoulos points out Trump's return would likely generate significant media buzz and draw more users to the platform, benefiting X considerably.
X CEO Linda Yaccarino is a vocal proponent of the platform, often emphasising its excitement and user engagement. Given her enthusiasm, she would likely welcome the return of a highly influential tweeter. Despite this, Trump remains absent from Twitter.
Trump has also refrained from posting on Instagram or Facebook despite Meta reinstating his accounts in 2023, following their initial bans after January 6. This situation might suit Meta well, as it reduces potential content moderation challenges for the platform.
However, another reason Trump might hesitate to post on platforms other than Truth Social is his lucrative deal with the company.
Trump Media & Technology Group went public through a SPAC in May. While its stock has shown volatility, it has surged more than 178 percent in the past year, resulting in a market capitalisation exceeding $7 billion. With Trump owning over 60 percent of the company, his stake is valued at around $4 billion.
Trump's Strong Desire To Tweet
Given his past behaviour, Trump clearly feels a compelling urge to tweet. While his willingness to adhere to rules and contracts might seem surprising, the prospect of a $4 billion stake has motivated his compliance. This dynamic may pose a significant challenge for Musk.
Musk's endorsement and financial support for Trump's reelection are not solely aimed at encouraging Trump to tweet. Notopoulos believes Musk has substantial business interests, such as Tesla's operations in China and SpaceX's government contracts, where a favourable presidency could benefit him. Additionally, Musk likely aligns with Trump's message on various fronts.
But it's quite ironic that Musk is going to great lengths to curry favour with Trump, yet Trump isn't fulfilling the one action that would likely please Musk the most: tweeting.
Trump's TikTok Presence
In addition to Truth Social, Trump shares his videos on TikTok, an app he once attempted to ban. A possible ban now hangs over TikTok if its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, does not divest its U.S. assets.
Despite posting only three videos on TikTok, the Republican presidential candidate has amassed 8.4 million followers and 19.7 million likes. "I'm for TikTok because you need competition. If you don't have TikTok, you have Facebook and Instagram," Trump told Bloomberg BusinessWeek in an interview posted Tuesday.
Although Trump previously labelled TikTok a threat, he joined the platform last month, which is used by 170 million Americans. He criticized Meta Platforms' Facebook and Instagram for suspending him after the January 6, 2021, Capitol Hill riot but stated in a June interview that he would never support a TikTok ban.
@realdonaldtrump Launching my TikTok at @UFC 302.
♬ original sound - President Donald J Trump
Trump's presence on TikTok, a platform he once sought to ban, contrasts sharply with his absence on Twitter, despite Elon Musk's support. With just three videos, Trump quickly garnered millions of followers on TikTok, indicating his significant influence.
Meanwhile, despite Musk reinstating his Twitter account and pledging substantial financial backing, Trump has refrained from tweeting, highlighting a strategic preference for his own platform, Truth Social.
