He was kicked off the platform, but he’s back.
Elon Musk, the tech billionaire behind the X app, confirmed on Friday that his platform is gearing up for a livestreamed town hall event featuring former President Donald Trump.
Musk expressed his anticipation for the event on the X app, sharing a report from the New York Post and commenting, “This will be interesting.”
The plans for this event were initially reported by Axios on Thursday, which also mentioned a similar video event involving independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
However, it’s worth noting that President Joe Biden will not be participating in an X town hall, as confirmed by a source familiar with the campaign’s arrangements.
As of now, X has not disclosed the event’s date or any additional specifics. Requests for comment from the company went unanswered as of Friday, and there was no immediate response from the Trump campaign either.
Linda Yaccarino, CEO of X, celebrated the news, dubbing the event “The People’s Town Hall!” and adding a fire emoji to her post.
This planned event marks another chapter in the evolving relationship between Trump and Musk, with the former actively courting the latter, given Musk’s status as one of the wealthiest individuals globally. Their interactions have been noted since their meeting in March, during which Trump expressed his affinity for Musk and hinted at assisting him during his presidency.
For Trump, this event signifies a return to the platform, now X, which echoes his past omnipresence on Twitter. Trump was banned from Twitter following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, but Musk reinstated his account in 2022. Despite this, Trump’s activity on the platform has been sparse.
In a separate post earlier on Friday, Musk expressed surprise at Trump’s recent legal troubles, particularly the verdict in his New York hush-money trial, dismissing it as a “trivial matter.”
Musk’s political inclinations draw significant attention due to his immense wealth, media influence, and leadership roles at Tesla and SpaceX. While he has not officially endorsed any candidate, his interactions and statements are closely monitored. Musk indicated in March that he would not be financially supporting either Biden or Trump this year and hinted at leaning away from supporting Biden, with no plans to endorse Trump.
Reports from the Wall Street Journal suggest that Musk and Trump have been engaging in frequent phone conversations, indicating a growing friendship between the two.
In terms of media positioning, X has been established as a pivotal platform for right-wing narratives, showcasing conservative viewpoints on various issues, including immigration. Previously, X hosted the presidential campaign launch of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, although he later withdrew from the race.
