Former President Donald Trump is readying his own social network called Truth Social.
The platform—set for a beta launch next month and full rollout in the first quarter of 2022—is the result of a merger between Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG) and Digital World Acquisition Corp. (DWAC).
Their mission: “to create a rival to the liberal media consortium and fight back against the Big Tech companies of Silicon Valley, which have used their unilateral power to silence opposing voices in America,” according to a press release.
Details are scant; there’s no word on what the upcoming mobile app will entail (or if it will last longer than Trump’s short-lived blog). It’s unclear whether its focus is on sharing text, photos, video, audio, all of the above, or if it will act as a forum for conversation.
“I created Truth Social and TMTG to stand up to the tyranny of Big Tech,” Trump said in a statement. “We live in a world where the Taliban has a huge presence on Twitter, yet your favorite American president has been silenced. This is unacceptable,” he continued. “I am excited to send out my first truth on Truth Social very soon.”
Days after the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, Twitter permanently suspended Trump’s personal account, citing fears that his posts might further incite violence in the US. YouTube, meanwhile, indefinitely cut Trump’s access after his supporters stormed Washington, D.C., saying the ban will remain in place until the risk of political violence has subsided. And Facebook barred the businessman.
Users interested in joining Truth Social can sign up online to join the invite-only wait list. This is the first step in the Trump Media and Technology Group’s multi-stage plan, which includes subscription video-on-demand service TMTG+. It’s being led by Deal or No Deal and America’s Got Talent producer Scott St. John, promises “non-woke” entertainment, news, and podcasts.
