Julian Assange has personally returned to X, posting a photo from Sydney and writing "I'm back" on Sept. 17, 2026. He said his last personal post was in 2018 and that his account was run by his legal campaign as @DefendAssange during the interim. The return follows his June 2024 plea deal with the U.S., when he pleaded guilty to one count of espionage and was released after his sentence was credited as time served.
Julian Assange Says "I'm Back" — Returns to X After Eight-Year Personal Hiatus
A mobile billboard featuring WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on it is parked at Lincoln Inn Fields in London. Karl Nesh (Credit: Photo Courtesy: Karl Nesh on Shutterstock.com)
Julian Assange, co‑founder of WikiLeaks, has posted on X from Sydney, announcing his personal return to the platform after an eight-year absence. On Sept. 17, 2026, Assange shared a photo of himself beneath a poster bearing his image and wrote simply, "I'm back." The image first appeared via the official WikiLeaks account before Assange posted from his personal handle.
Post and Correction
The WikiLeaks account published the photograph and a brief announcement on Sept. 17, followed by a personal post from Assange. He later corrected reporting that suggested his break from direct posting was only about two years, writing that his last personal tweet was in 2018 and that his account was managed in the interim by his legal campaign as @DefendAssange.
Account History
Observers note the platform briefly removed Assange’s X account on Christmas Eve 2017; the account reappeared the following morning with no public explanation from the company. Supporters and critics alike have closely monitored any activity from Assange and the WikiLeaks account since then.
Background And Legal Timeline
Assange rose to international prominence after founding WikiLeaks in 2006, a platform created to let whistleblowers submit classified documents, videos and other materials anonymously. His legal troubles span more than a decade: he was arrested in London in 2010 after Sweden issued a warrant over sexual assault allegations. While fighting extradition, he sought asylum inside Ecuador’s London embassy in 2012 and remained there for nearly seven years.
In 2019 the U.S. Department of Justice, during the Trump administration, filed the most consequential charges against him — a 17‑count indictment under the Espionage Act. In June 2024, amid mounting political pressure for resolution, Assange reached a plea agreement with the U.S. government, pleading guilty to one count of espionage. His agreed 62‑month sentence was credited as time served, resulting in his release from Belmarsh prison.
Return To Australia
After his release, Assange returned to Australia, arriving in Canberra on June 26, 2024, and has since been living there with his family. His return to personal posting on X marks the first confirmed activity from his own account since 2018, and it renews public interest in his role in debates over government secrecy, whistleblowing and press freedoms.
Photo Credit: Karl Nesh / Shutterstock
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