People moved quickly to register accounts on former President Donald Trump’s new social media platform before its formal launch next year.
Mr. Trump’s team announced the new platform TRUTH Social on Wednesday evening, and people sought to snatch prominent accounts on the new platform, which has an interface resembling Twitter’s.
The platform’s app is available for preorder in Apple’s App Store, with an expected launch date of Feb. 21.
Some tech writers looked to register accounts through the website and sought to claim usernames for prominent people. For example, the Washington Post’s Drew Harwell said he claimed a ‘mikepence’ account, while the Daily Dot’s Mikael Thalen said he grabbed ‘donaldtrump.’
“Was just able to setup an account using the handle @donaldtrump on ‘Truth Social,’ former President Donald Trump’s new social media website,” said Mr. Thalen on Twitter posting a screenshot of himself using the site. “Although the site is not officially open, a URL was discovered allowing users to sign up anyway.”
A press release announcing the new platform included a URL for the website and said a “nationwide rollout” is expected in the first quarter of 2022.
Mr. Harwell branded the new platform as “vulnerable” on Twitter because he was able to use the website. He later published a screenshot showing TRUTH Social prevented him from using the account he registered and had mocked online.
Mr. Trump’s team also encouraged people on Twitter to register for accounts on the new site soon after its launch Wednesday. Roma Daravi, a spokesperson for Trump Media & Technology Group, urged people to register accounts.
“America is ready for TRUTH,” Ms. Daravi tweeted. “Sign up for TRUTH Social today. #TMTG.”
Mr. Trump’s team said in its announcement that Trump Media & Technology Group will be a publicly listed company following a combination with Digital World Acquisition Corp. and its goal is to create a rival to the “liberal media consortium” and “fight back against the ‘Big Tech’ companies of Silicon Valley.”
A presentation published on the Trump Media & Technology Group’s website shows the social media platform is just one part of the business that Mr. Trump’s team wants to build.
The presentation displays TRUTH Social as competing with Twitter and Facebook, while a ‘TMTG+’ will spar with streaming sites like Netflix and Disney+ and a ‘TMTG News’ will duel with CNN and iHeart Media.
“TMTG+ is an on-demand streaming service that will provide news, big-tent entertainment, exciting documentaries, sports programming, and more,” reads the presentation on the Trump Media & Technology Group website. “The American public is seeking “non-woke” entertainment, and TMTG+ will provide content for all to enjoy.”
The Trump team’s presentation said it sees a massive market opportunity in “building a ’non-cancellable’ global community.”
Stock shares of Digital World Acquisition Corp. surged upwards of 400% during trading on Thursday amid the news of its combination with Trump Media & Technology Group, according to CNBC.
Trading was halted multiple times due to volatility because of the stock’s skyrocketing trajectory.
• Ryan Lovelace can be reached at rlovelace@washingtontimes.com.
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