Former US President Donald Trump has resurfaced on X, formerly known as Twitter, after a prolonged absence from the platform in the most Trump manner possible – he posted a photo of his mug shot.

His return to the digital spotlight comes in the wake of his surrender on charges related to his involvement in plotting to overturn Georgia's 2020 election results.

About two hours after his surrender at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Trump posted a striking image of his mug shot along with a link to his website. Accompanying these visuals were two phrases: "ELECTION INTERFERENCE" and "NEVER SURRENDER!"

Owner of X, Elon Musk, a self-proclaimed advocate for free speech on social media, reposted Trump's mug shot with saying, “Next-Level."

Trump’s Twitter account had been "permanently" suspended after the infamous Capitol riots in January 2021 which Twitter said Trump incited violence. His last tweet was on January 8, 2021.

He was reinstated on the platform after billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's acquisition of X last year, a move that seemingly paved the way for Trump's return.

But Trump refused to be back on Twitter and since then relied on his own social media platform, Truth Social, which was introduced as an alternative.

It remains unclear whether Trump's reappearance on X is a fleeting moment or signals a more enduring presence for his 86.7 million followers.

Since being posted 6 hours ago, Trump’s mug shot has received a staggering 72 million views and 7.76 lakh ‘likes’.

Trump had previously praised X as a critical tool that helped secure his victory in the 2016 presidential race. In a 2017 statement, he had said, "Twitter is a wonderful thing for me, because I get the word out… I might not be here talking to you right now as president if I didn't have an honest way of getting the word out."

If Trump does return to X, his presence could potentially inject new life into the platform's prospects with his history of driving substantial web traffic.

(With inputs from agencies)