X sees surge in engagement, downloads amid Musk-Trump feud
What's the story
The ongoing feud between Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump has led to a surge in engagement on X.
Sensor Tower data shows that the app jumped to 23rd place on the US App Store's top charts on June 5, from an average ranking of 68 over the last 30 days.
The spike could be due to more downloads and interactions with the platform.
Platform performance
X also climbed the rankings on Google Play
X's performance wasn't just limited to App Store.
The app also climbed the rankings on Google Play in the US, rising around 20 spots from its previous seven-day average and 16 spots from its 30-day average.
Sensor Tower estimates show active users of X in the US rose by 6% on June 5, likely driven by interest in Musk-Trump feud.
Notably, between 2:00pm and 6:00pm ET that day, US user activity surged by an impressive 54% than the previous week.
Rival platform
Truth Social also saw a spike in user activity
Trump's social network, Truth Social, also saw a spike in user activity during the Musk-Trump feud.
According to Sensor Tower's proprietary panel, active users of Truth Social in the US increased by over 400% compared to the previous seven days.
However, despite this surge, X still remains much larger than Truth Social, with 100 times more US mobile app users.
Platform strategy
Musk's public disputes beneficial for user engagement on X
Sarah Kreps, director of Cornell University's Tech Policy Institute, said that "X operates as a personality-driven platform, and Musk's high-profile conflicts can fuel engagement at least in the short term."
She added that "the platform has leaned into spectacle as a growth strategy, and controversy often drives traffic."
This suggests that Musk's public disputes could be beneficial for user engagement on X.