Donald Trump’s app Truth Social readies for launch as former US president eyes social media comeback

Donald Trump is set to make a social media comeback this week with the launch of his new app Truth Social, after the former United States president was last year booted off mainstream platforms.

The app, which allows users to post and share a “truth” as they would a tweet, could launch as soon as Monday on Apple’s App Store, according to a report by Reuters news agency.

Truth Social has been touted as America’s “Big Tent” social media platform that encourages free speech without discriminating against political ideology.

Details of the app have trickled out in the last week as testers trialled a beta version of the platform.

Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), the venture behind Truth Social, led by former Republican US representative Devin Nunes, is the latest in a growing number of technology companies positioning themselves as champions of free speech in a bid to attract users who feel their views are suppressed on mainstream platforms.

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The rollout will begin this week with hopes it will be fully operational in the US by the end of March, Mr Nunes told Fox News on Sunday.

Platforms including Twitter, Facebook and YouTube shut down Donald Trump‘s accounts last year after the US Capitol attacks by his supporters on 6 January.

Mr Trump was accused of posting messages inciting violence.

On 15 February Trump’s eldest son Donald Jr. tweeted a screenshot of his father’s verified Truth Social account, @realDonaldTrump, showing a “truth” (a post) reading: “Get Ready! Your favorite President will see you soon!”