A new Securities and Exchange Commission filing is revealing more about why Donald Trump doesn’t plan on returning to Twitter even if Elon Musk lifts the ban on the former president.
Trump has agreed to publish all his musings on his own site, Truth Social, before posting them on any other platform, according to an SEC filing, which was spotted by CNBC.
He also agreed to make the posts on Truth Social exclusive for six hours. The only exception is for content focused on “political messaging, political fundraising or get-out-the vote efforts,” which Trump can post at any time on other social media platforms. This condition was likely added in the event he decides to run for president in 2024.
The filing comes from Digital World Acquisition Corp., which is merging with Trump Media & Technology Group, the company behind Truth Social. According to the document, Trump has entered into a license agreement covering his social media usage.
“Unless notice is given, the TMTG Social Media Exclusivity Term extends in perpetuity for additional 180-day terms,” the SEC filing notes. However, Trump could choose to suspend the exclusivity arrangement due to unforeseen circumstances; for instance, if Apple decides to remove Truth Social from the iOS App Store. In addition, the license agreement could dissolve if Digital World Acquisition Corp fails to complete its merger with TMTG.
Last month, Trump said he plans on sticking with Truth Social even if an Elon Musk-led Twitter reverses the ban put in place following the Jan. 6 insurrection. "I am not going on Twitter, I am going to stay on Truth [Social]," he told Fox News, "I hope Elon buys Twitter because he’ll make improvements to it and he is a good man, but I am going to be staying on Truth."
Musk has called Twitter’s permanent ban on Trump as a “foolish” decision. “I think that was a mistake, because it alienated a large part of the country, and did not ultimately result in Donald Trump not having a voice,” Musk said last week at a Financial Times event.
However, Musk has since put the acquisition on hold, over concerns Twitter has been miscounting the number of spam and fake accounts over the platform.