After months of promising his own social media network for banned posters, former President Donald Trump on Tuesday launched a new section of his website that’s essentially just a WordPress blog.
The new “platform” is styled like a generic version of Twitter, but hosted as a running blog of commentary from the president. People can sign up for post alerts on the platform through their email and phone numbers, and are allegedly able to like them, although that function doesn’t appear to work as of publication. Users are also allowed to share Trump’s posts on Facebook and Twitter. The Twitter sharing option doesn’t currently work, but Facebook’s does allow people to share Trump’s posts.
Facebook and Twitter did not immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment on whether these sharing options are permitted under Trump’s current ban.
Even though the platform formally launched on Tuesday, there are posts dating back to March 24th. Trump’s latest post is a video advertising his new platform, calling it, “A place to speak freely and safely, straight from the desk of Donald J. Trump.” According to Fox News, Trump will “eventually” be able to communicate with his supporters directly, although it’s not clear how that will happen. Trump’s press office did not immediately respond to a request for comment
The launch comes just a day before Facebook’s Oversight Board is set to announce whether Trump will be allowed back on Facebook and other Facebook-owned social media platforms like Instagram. Trump was banned from Facebook and his favorite posting platform Twitter in January after a right-wing mob stormed the US Capitol, leaving five people dead. Facebook’s quasi-judicial moderation panel plans to announce whether the former president can return on Wednesday morning.
The platform appears to have been built by Campaign Nucleus, a digital services company founded by Trump’s former campaign manager Brad Parscale.