Donald Trump has not yet made his return to Twitter, but until when?
In the middle of the campaign for 2024, the former president of the United States could be tempted to use this gigantic sounding board again.
But for now, the billionaire, whose account was restored by new owner Elon Musk, says he prefers his Truth Social network.
At the end of a poll which saw a majority emerge in favor of restoring the account of the former Republican president - 51.8% out of some 15 million votes - the new boss of Twitter, who presents himself as a defender of the freedom of expression, took action on Saturday.
All eyes have since been on the @realDonaldTrump account, on the lookout for any activity.
This account attributed to the "45th President of the United States of America" has the now famous thumbnail on a blue background supposed to guarantee that it has been verified.
It did not show a new post, at least on Sunday around 4:00 p.m. GMT.
The last message dates from January 8, 2021, the billionaire let it be known that he will not go to the inauguration ceremony of President Joe Biden, whose election he does not recognize.
To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2021
On the same day, Twitter permanently closed the former president's account, which then had 88.8 million subscribers, in the face of "the risk of further incitement to violence".
The platform had already suspended it on January 6, after the Capitol was invaded by its supporters.
More and more subscribers
On Sunday, there were significant fluctuations in the number of subscribers, which increased sharply to reach 83 million around 3:30 p.m. GMT, while the number of accounts followed rose from zero to 49. But it is impossible to know what this means. increase in the number of subscribers, impossible also to know if someone really acts on the account: Twitter, in full convulsions since its sensational acquisition by Elon Musk, no longer has a communication service.
In addition, the account attributed to the former president now links to a site offering to contribute financially to the campaign just launched by Donald Trump for 2024. It is also impossible to know how this link was set up, and by whom.
On Saturday, while the Twitter poll was still in progress - and a majority was already emerging in favor of his return - Donald Trump had called on Truth Social for his supporters to vote in his favor.
But he had also written: “We are not going anywhere.
Truth Social is special”.
Donald Trump, who like no one knew how to use Twitter during his presidency to dictate the media agenda, bombarding the platform with virulent declarations and shocking announcements from morning to night, will he be able to resist the tweets of the blue Bird ?
Especially after an announcement of candidacy which did not, far from it, create the expected momentum.
TIME recalls this Sunday, Donald Trump had said in the past that he would not return to Twitter, even if his account were to be restored.
The media also echoes a video speech by Trump this Saturday, on the sidelines of a meeting of a Republican Jewish group in Las Vegas, where the businessman declared to have been aware of the poll but also to have "seen a lot of problems on Twitter".
His return is therefore far from being confirmed, even though he himself owns a share of the financial capital.
For its part, the New York Times, recalls that Donald Trump has an exclusive contract with Truth Social.
He is indeed forced to make his messages available exclusively on this social network for six hours, before sharing them on other sites.
4.48 million followers on Truth Social
On Sunday, his Twitter account therefore had some 83 million subscribers around 3:30 p.m. GMT – impossible to know how many are humans and how many “bots”, automated accounts – against 4.48 million on Truth Social.
The former president entered the race just after the midterm elections, which did not turn out for the Republicans in the expected "wave", and which led many conservatives to distance themselves from Donald Trump .
Among them former Vice President Mike Pence, seen as a potential contender for the Republican nomination, told CBS on Sunday that there "will be better choices" than the former president.
He called for a conservative candidacy likely to "unify" the country, carrying "respect and courtesy".
In a study published on November 18, the research institute Pew Research Center concludes that 27% of Americans say they have heard of Truth Social, but that only 2% use it to get information - against 14% for Twitter and 31 % for Facebook, from which Donald Trump is currently excluded.
The researchers also explain that of 200 prominent Truth Social accounts, 49% express either a right-wing political orientation or support for Donald Trump.
Clearly, an echo chamber for supporters already won over to the ideas of the former president.