WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 31: U.S. President Donald Trump looks back at journalists after welcoming ... [+]
Former President Donald Trump may still be banned from Twitter and Facebook, but beginning next week he could likely be active on social media again – this time on his very own platform.
On Tuesday evening, the former president's son, Donald Trump Jr. tweeted a screenshot from his father's Truth Social platform.
"Time for some Truth!!," the caption from Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) read. His father had posted on the Twitter rival, "Get ready! Your favorite president will see you soon."
Since Tuesday evening, Donald Trump Jr.'s message has been retweeted more than 10,600 times and had nearly 54,000 likes.
President's Day Launch?
Truth Social is now on track to go live next week. According to an Apple App Store listing, former President Trump is currently planning to launch the Truth Social platform on February 21 – Presidents' Day.
Many who saw the post from the Trump family suggested that Truth Social was essentially a replica of Twitter. However, soon after the announcement many of Trump's supporters expressed delight at the news that Truth Social would offer an alternative social platform for conservative voices.
"TRUTH Social (beta) has dropped and President Trump is active on his own account! The world is healing," tweeted Liz Willis, VP of operations at Right Side Broadcasting Network.
Conservative activist Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) posted, "Truth Social will change the world."
Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) added, "'GET READY! YOUR FAVORITE PRESIDENT WILL SEE YOU SOON!': Trump Sends First Truth Social Post"
Truth Be Told?
An equal number of users on social media mocked the announcement, including the fact that it was done on Twitter – the very service that Truth Social seeks to displace.
Social media influencer and political commentator Majid M. Padellan (@mmpadellan), tweeted, "Truth Social will be as successful as trump University, the trump Foundation, and the twice-impeached loser. And that's the Truth."
"Truth Social is gonna be a raging nuclear dumpster fire of lies," wrote the activist group The USA Singers (@TheUSASingers).
Author Grant Stern (@granstern) poked fun, tweeting, "Truth Social is so f**king successful the only place you can see it is on Twitter. LOL."
A Twitter Clone?
Truth Social is now poised to be the first project of the Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG), which was formed after a merger with Digital World Acquisition Group. While it could provide an alternative to Twitter, it does appear that the form and function is quite similar to the micro-blog platform.
Part of the reason could be that Trump regularly relied on Twitter as a broadcast tool, and the ability to post (tweet) short messages to the masses fits the former president's style. The fact that it has Trump using it as his preferred platform could help Truth Social quickly gain an audience. As a result, it could be far more successful than past Twitter alternatives, notably Parler.
Former President Trump had raised the possibility of building a new social media platform after he was banned from both Facebook and Twitter in 2021 for repeatedly breaking the respective services' rules of conduct and acceptable behavior.
Beginning next week Trump could have his platform – one where he makes the rules, as well as one that won't likely silence him no matter what he has to say.
