US President Barack Obama opens Twitter account

IT took six years, but US President Barack Obama is finally on Twitter — and he’s already served up a zinger in reply to a tweet from Bill Clinton.

“HELLO, Twitter! It’s Barack. Really! Six years in, they’re finally giving me my own account.”

With that inaugural Tweet sent from a smart phone in the Oval Office before jumping on Marine One on Monday, the President of the United States Barack Obama — or @POTUS — cast off security and bureaucratic chains in place since he was elected.

Only hours after it launched, former President Bill Clinton — who missed out on a personalised presidential Twitter account while in office — joined the fray, tweeting: “Welcome to @Twitter, @POTUS! One question: Does that username stay with the office? #askingforafriend”.

Welcome to @Twitter, @POTUS! One question: Does that username stay with the office? #askingforafriend

— Bill Clinton (@billclinton) May 18, 2015

Obama was quick with a witty reply:

Good question, @billclinton. The handle comes with the house. Know anyone interested in @FLOTUS?

— President Obama (@POTUS) May 18, 2015

The account — which already had 840,000 followers in the first four hours — will instantly become one of the world’s top hacking targets, but it will also allow Obama to communicate directly for the first time.

Here's a photo of President Obama sending the very first @POTUS tweet from the Oval Office. pic.twitter.com/EQGmVAlybh

— Kori Schulman (@ks44) May 18, 2015

But unlike the rest of the world, Obama must first borrow a phone before tweeting, due to the restrictions placed on his government-issued Blackberry by security.

New arrival ... Obama's Twitter page. Picture: Mandel Ngan/AFP

Until now Obama has tweeted through his executive staff @WhiteHouse or the remnants of his campaign staff @BarackObama.

“The @POTUS Twitter account will serve as a new way for President Obama to engage directly with the American people, with tweets coming exclusively from him,” the White House said.

The bear is loose on the Twittersphere! Welcome to the interwebs, Mr. President. https://t.co/SrlAbK3rfK

— Valerie Jarrett (@vj44) May 18, 2015

BREAKING: President Obama just launched @POTUS with a tweet from the Oval Office. It's really him! #WelcomeToTwitter https://t.co/oMsgvV55i1

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 18, 2015

The already verified account features the customary headshot of Obama, but also a background photo of him walking over the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, in March, when he marked the 50th anniversary of a civil rights march that changed America.

Obama describes himself as “Dad, husband, and 44th President of the United States.”

He is following an assortment of cabinet members and senior staff, as well as wife Michelle Obama.

White House ... Obama tweeted first from the Oval Office. Picture: Twitter