Donald Trump, the former U.S. President and businessman, is preparing to launch his new social media company, ‘Truth Social.’ According to remarks from an executive on a test version acquired by Reuters, the app is likely to be released on Apple’s App Store on Monday (February 21).
Trump said in October 2021 that he will be developing a social media network named Truth Social to “fight up to the tyranny of Big Tech.” Trump Media & Technology Group, formed lately, owns the app.
In a series of posts Friday, a verified account for the network’s chief product officer, Billy B., responded to queries about the app from users invited to use it during its testing phase. One user inquired when the software, which was made accessible to beta testers earlier this week, will be made available to the general public.
“We’re now scheduled for distribution in the Apple App Store on Monday, February 21,” said the executive.
The launch would restore Trump’s social media presence more than a year after he was banned from Twitter Inc (TWTR.N), Facebook Inc (FB. O), and Alphabet Inc’s (GOOGL.O) YouTube following his supporters’ January 6, 2021, attack on the United States Capitol, after he was accused of posting messages inciting violence.
On February 15, Donald Jr posted a screenshot of his father’s verified @realDonaldTrump Truth Social account, which had one post, or “truth,” that he submitted on February 14: “Get Ready! Your favorite President will see you soon!”
The launch of Truth Social would signal the former U.S. President’s comeback to social media after Twitter, Facebook banned him, and YouTube following his supporters’ January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol after being accused of posting messages inciting violence.
Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), led by former Republican U.S. Representative Devin Nunes, will join a growing portfolio of technology companies positioning themselves as champions of free speech and hoping to attract users who feel their views are suppressed on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
So yet, none of the firms, including Twitter competitors Gettr and Parler and video site Rumble, have come close to matching the mainstream counterparts’ popularity.
“We will begin rolling out on the Apple App Store this week. That’s fantastic because it means we’ll have a lot more people on the platform. “Nunes stated this on Fox News ‘Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo’ on Sunday.
“Our objective is, I think we’re going to hit it, I think we’ll be completely functioning at least within the United States by the end of March,” he continued.
In addition to the article revealing the launch date on Monday, the screenshots obtained by Reuters show the app is now at version 1.0, indicating that it has achieved a state suitable for public distribution. According to two people who had access to that version as recently as Wednesday, it was at version 0.9.
A spokesman for TMTG did not reply quickly to a request for comment. According to Apple’s App Store page, Truth Social will be released on February 21, a date confirmed in January by a person close to the company. On the other hand, Nunes recently announced publicly that the app would be ready by the end of March.
According to the individual with knowledge of the situation, among Nunes’ posts was one in which he welcomed a new user who appeared to be a Catholic priest and encouraged him to recruit more priests to join.
Other comments from the chief product officer during Friday’s question-and-answer session suggested that the startup’s features will be similar to those of Twitter.
“Not yet,” the CEO answered when asked if users would be able to amend their “truths.” Twitter users have long desired the opportunity to alter their posts after they have been published.
According to the executive, the next important innovation to be deployed on the site will be direct messages, or D.M.s, between users.
According to the CEO, the company is also exploring allowing users to sign up to receive notifications when others post material. He hinted that the ability to block other users would be a key feature.
“Block functionality will always be available in the app,” he stated. The executive stated that Truth Social will establish a policy on verified accounts “in the coming weeks.”
Even when more information about the app becomes available, TMTG remains primarily cloaked in secrecy and is viewed with mistrust by those in the tech and media communities. It is unclear, for example, how the corporation plans to fund its present expansion.
Published By – Vanshu Mehra
Edited By – Kritika Kashyap
