Donald Trump is back with his own internet platform, or what’s basically a blog.
Fox News was first to report the site, which is called “From the desk of Donald J. Trump.” But it’s definitely not a conventional social media service. Instead, it’s a one-way channel for the former President to publish posts, images and videos, in an effort to communicate directly with his followers.
The platform arrives months after Facebook and Twitter suspended Trump’s social media accounts after his supporters stormed the US Capitol in January. The companies cited the risks of Trump inciting more violence. But in response, the former President claims he was unjustly censored.
Trump’s new site seems to function like his original Twitter account. It currently features dozens of short posts Trump made since late March, some of which dispute the 2020 election results. Others go after his critics, including Republican lawmakers Liz Cheney and Mitt Romney.
But unlike Twitter, there’s currently no way for visitors to respond to any of Trump’s posts. “This is just a one-way communication," an unnamed source familiar with the site told Fox News.
That said, each post does contain buttons to re-share the content on a Twitter account or Facebook page. So ardent Trump followers can potentially amplify the former President’s messaging — assuming Twitter and Facebook allow it. (The same site also includes a button to donate to Trump’s political action committee.)
Twitter did not immediately respond to a request for comment. An oversight board from Facebook, on the other hand, plans announcing tomorrow morning if Trump will be re-allowed on the social network.
Back in January, Trump said he was considering building his own social media platform after his accounts were suspended on Facebook and Twitter. Whether Trump’s new site is part of those plans remains unclear.