How Twitter reacted to Hillary Clinton's White House news

Hillary Clinton took to social media to confirm her intention to run for the US Democratic presidential nomination.

Her tweet was immediately shared by thousands of users, including her husband Bill, as news of her bid to become president spread around the world.

The overwhelming Democratic favourite, she had been expected to declare her candidacy for months.

Her daughter Chelsea was one of the first people to post a supportive tweet.

Former French President Nicholas Sarkozy also wished Mrs Clinton well in the battle for the White House.

Madeleine Albright, who was the first woman to hold the position of US secretary of state, seemed pleased.

Celebrities publicly backed the Clinton campaign too. Actress and writer Lena Dunham sent a tweet accompanied by a famous picture of Mrs Clinton checking her blackberry.

Singer Carole King's message was short and to the point.

Her critics also used the social networking site to voice their opinions on the news.

Senator Rand Paul, who is seeking the Republican nomination, tweeted a satirical animation purporting to show Mrs Clinton's email contacts. They included the Bank of Saudi Arabia and Barack Obama.

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who is also seeking the Republican nomination, urged voters to sign a petition to "Stop Hillary".

Another presidential hopeful, Ted Cruz, posted two video clips on his official Twitter account, directly aimed at Mrs Clinton.

He said she represented "failed policies of the past" and encouraged Americans to opt for "strong Conservative leadership".

US academic Zephyr Teachout, who lost out on the Democratic nomination for governor of New York last year, voiced her frustration at the lack of content in Mrs Clinton's campaign video.