Trump plans to set up social media platform ‘within two to three months’

Donald Trump plans his own social media platform

Credit: Manua Ngan/AFP

Donald Trump is planning to set up his own social media platform to get his message across to millions of voters.

Twitter handed the former president a lifetime ban following the January 6 Capitol riots "due to the risk of further incitement of violence".

At a stroke, it cut him off from an estimated 90 million followers. His attempts to sidestep the ban by using other accounts were swiftly quashed by the social media giant.

Speaking on Fox Newson Sunday, Jason Miller, Mr Trump’s 2020 campaign spokesman, said he would be re-entering social media by setting up his own platform within the next two to three months.

Mr Trump’s own media platform would "completely redefine the game," Mr Miller added.

There had been speculation that Mr Trump was considering setting up a television channel — although that would have brought him into competition with other conservative broadcasters including Fox, the One America News Network and Newsmax.

In the absence of social media, Mr Trump has sought to remain in the public eye with a round of interviews following the death of conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh.

He was also interviewed on Fox News Primetime last week.

Mr Trump’s most significant intervention was as a keynote speaker last month at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida when he cemented his grip on the Republican party.

Otherwise, contact with supporters has been confined to a barrage of emails sent to supporters either from his newly established office of the Save America Political Action Committee.

"I think it shows how much the Twitter ban has hurt him. Trump always thrives on having an audience and being able to disrupt the media cycle," said Christopher Galdieri, an associate professor of politics at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire.

"This predates social media, if you go back to 1999 when he was running to be the Reform Party candidate. He was very skilled at using his knowledge of the press cycle to disrupt things and undercut his rival Pat Buchanan.

"With everyone on social media, he needs it. Its absence is hampering his ability to  stay in the conversation

"Apart from coverage of his legal proceedings I don’t think people are talking about him any more

"If he is holding hopes of running again in 2024 or being the kingmaker, he needs to be relevant."

Stephen Greyser, an expert on reputation management at the Harvard Business School, added: 

“He will draw a crowd, but it will basically be the same crowd he typically draws

"If he is looking to broaden his base, I don’t think this is likely to be particularly effective.”