Losing ground in national polls, Trump returns to X

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - Ex-US President Donald Trump ended Monday his nearly year-long absence from X amid sagging poll numbers following Vice President Kamala Harris' formal nomination as the Democratic presidential nominee.

The former president used his first post since Aug. 24, 2023 to disseminate a campaign video replete with news footage and audio clips as he prepares to hold what is being described as a "live conversation" with X CEO Elon Musk scheduled for 8 pm Eastern Time (0000GMT).

"This is unscripted with no limits on subject matter, so should be highly entertaining! If you have specific questions & comments, post them under the chat," Musk, who has recently come out with his full-throated endorsement of Trump, posted on X.

While it is unclear whether Trump will return fully to X, or if he is seeking to boost his "live conversation with Musk," he made a series of posts following his campaign video, including one in which he asked Americans: "Are you better off now than you were when I was president?"

"Our economy is shattered. Our border has been erased. We're a nation in decline. Make the American Dream AFFORDABLE again. Make America SAFE again. Make America GREAT Again!" he added.

He also reposted a message from his campaign and a promotional image for the Monday evening talk with Musk.

The increased X activity comes as Trump has faced increased polling headwinds since US President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris to succeed him.

A new survey released by the New York Times and Siena College on Saturday indicated that Harris is now significantly leading Trump in three key battleground states – Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – along with increased favorability numbers for the vice president.

Another poll from the Financial Times/Michigan Ross poll released Monday found that Harris is gaining ground among voters on a key issue: the American economy. The survey found that some 42% of voters trust Harris to handle the economy. That is one point higher than those who say the same about Trump.