- Tucker Carlson’s upcoming Putin interview drove a surge of 117,000 downloads for X app.
- The exclusive access helps X under Musk court right-leaning voices and boosts X amid competition.
- But platforming Kremlin propaganda risks long-term brand safety issues.
Carlson-Putin interview boosts X
The forthcoming exclusive interview between controversial TV personality Tucker Carlson and Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to be driving a wave of new signups for X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
After Carlson revealed plans on Tuesday to air the first Western media interview with Putin since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, X shot to the #1 spot on the U.S. App Store overnight.
According to data from app analytics firm Appfigures, X gained around 117,000 downloads on Tuesday, more than double the 93,000 downloads the previous day.
The spike coincided closely with Carlson’s evening video announcement about the Putin interview from Moscow, suggesting the news played a key role.
Revealing why Putin invaded Ukraine
Carlson claimed the interview would reveal why Putin invaded Ukraine and what his goals are – topics he argued Americans have a right to understand.
The Putin interview comes as X, now owned by Elon Musk, courts right-leaning voices.
Though Musk has said X doesn’t have an exclusive deal with Carlson, the TV personality – recently fired from Fox News – is among a handful of ideological allies Musk has welcomed to the platform.
X is also positioning itself as a free speech alternative to competitors like newly-launched Bluesky and Mastodon.
A boost for X at the right time
While Musk’s politics have stirred controversy, X is home to diverse voices beyond his views.
Still, news that Carlson successfully landed a sympathetic Putin interview is logistically boosting X at a fortuitous time.
With Bluesky and other competitors vying for users, the exclusive Putin access could help X seize momentum – even if supporting Kremlin propaganda threatens longer-term brand safety issues.
