'Mind-blowing': Elon Musk reacts to ex-US President Donald Trump's first tweet on X

Tech billionaire and CEO of microblogging platform 'X' Elon Musk, on Friday, reacted to ex-US President Donald Trump's first tweet in almost 2 years. Republican chief, who was permanently banned from n-called Twitter while he served as president of United States, returned on rebranded platform earlier yesterday as he shared his mugshot taken inside  Fulton County Jail. Trump turned himself in on Thursday evening in Georgia after he was booked on 13 felony counts for subversion of 2020 elections.

In his first post since  US Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, ex-US President Trump shared his mugshot with a caption that re: "Mug Shot - August 24, 2023. Election interference. Never Surrender! DonaldJTrump.Com." Just 90 minutes after his mugshot was released, Trump  campaign also started to sell merchandise — US$34 shirts, koozies, bumper stickers, and more with his booking photo on it.

As his first post on X gained traction, Musk rejoiced about former president's comeback. " speed at which your message on this platform can reach a vast number of people is mind-blowing," Musk wrote immediately after Trump posted his mugshot. Trump's post raked up one million likes in under twelve hours. Trump Save America Joint Fundraising Committee started to sell merchandise of former President's mugshot, saying that y would give away T-shirts in exchange for a US$47 donation.

Musk lauds Trump's talent for 'branding'

Trump's campaign fired fundraising email for former President's 2024 election bid claiming that mugshot was an attempt “to make him look like a criminal in front of entire world.” As Trump's supporters glorified his popularity on social media, Musk gave affirmative replies such as "true" as he also pointed at former US president's talent for "branding" and "elite-level newsjacking."

After a ban was instated on Trump's account in 2021,  outgoing US President Trump accused platform of banning free speech. Trump alleged that Twitter employees were coordinating with Democrats and  Left to stifle his voice and place a ban on his official social media account. Trump called people who voted for him 'patriots', as he ded tha 'Twitter may be a private company, but without government's gift of Section 230 y would not exist for long.' "We will not be SILENCED! Twitter is not about FREE SPEECH. y are all about promoting a Rical Left platform where some of most vicious people in world are allowed to speak freely...". Trump h lashed out.