Donald Trump’s ‘Truth Social’ app rollout riddled with errors, malfunctions

The rollout of Donald Trump’s new social media app is off to a rocky start, launching on the App Store only to be riddled with errors and malfunctions.

The rollout of Donald Trump’s new social media app is off to a rocky start, launching on Apple’s App Store only to be riddled with errors and malfunctions.

Thousands of would-be users encountered glitches or found themselves placed on a waitlist on Monday due to what the app, called Truth Social, called “massive demand”.

CEO of the Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), Devin Nunes, said the app would be “fully operational” by the end of March. TMTG is the parent company of the new app.

After being banned from multiple social media platforms last year, the former US president’s app topped the chart of the most downloaded in Apple’s US App Store, beating out the likes of TikTok, YouTube and Instagram.

But attempts to download it were met with frustration.

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The rollout of Donald Trump’s new social media app is off to a rocky start. Picture: Chris Delmas/AFP

Thousands of would-be users encountered glitches or found themselves placed on a waitlist for “Truth Social”. Picture: Kirill Kudryavtsey/AFP

Some received the message: “Something went wrong. Please try again.”

One AFP journalist who tried to sign up Monday made it further, receiving a thank you for joining, but an added message that “due to massive demand, we have placed you on our waitlist”.

“We love you, and you’re not just another number to us,” it said.

“But your waitlist number is below: #170174.”

Mr Trump hopes Truth Social will help make up for his removal last year from Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, and provide the Republican ex-president with a fresh platform as he seeks to raise his profile in the run up to the 2024 elections.

The tech giants excluded Mr Trump following the January 6 assault on the US Capitol, amid accusations he had used social media to incite his followers to use force in a bid to overturn the result of the 2020 election – which he lost to Democrat (and now US President) Joe Biden.

Before being banned, he had some 89 million followers on Twitter and used the platform constantly, both for presidential statements and to attack rivals.

Mr Trump hopes Truth Social will help make up for his removal last year from Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Picture: Mandel Ngan/AFP

It was too early to know Monday how many people eventually follow the former president to his new online venue.

TMTG, asked for comment by AFP, did not immediately respond.

‘TRUTH is coming’

Mr Nunes, a conservative Republican who resigned from Congress to lead TMTG, took aim on Sunday at the platforms that banned Mr Trump.

“We want (customers) to tell us what they would like to have on the platform, which is the opposite of some Silicon Valley tech oligarch freak telling people what they want to think and deciding who can or cannot be on the platform,” he told Fox News.

But Truth Social reportedly will use artificial intelligence censors to police posts on the app.

“TRUTH is coming …” congresswoman Elise Stefanik, the number three House Republican, tweeted on Friday.

She posted a screengrab of her message on Truth Beta, the test version of the new site, saying, “I’m so excited to be on TRUTH!”

Donald Trump Jr also celebrated on Twitter, posting, “Time for some Truth!!!”

I’m on Truth Social!

As the only Member of Congress to have had my personal @Twitter account banned, I understand what millions of conservatives have gone through having their personal freedom of speech stolen from them by Big Tech for not parroting the approved messaging.

1/3 pic.twitter.com/CcKH3Fnr5a

— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) February 20, 2022

TRUTH is coming….

Thank you to my good friends President Trump and Devin Nunes. pic.twitter.com/xhggimhy9x

— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) February 18, 2022

Time for some Truth!!! pic.twitter.com/jvyteDb5gW

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) February 15, 2022

The group reportedly has a $1.25 billion treasure chest as it seeks a niche in a crowded conservative social media marketplace, currently served by platforms such as Gettr, Parker and Gab.

Mr Trump and his wife, Melania, also plan to offer for sale 10,000 NFTS, or non-fungible tokens, illustrating key moments in the Trump presidency. NFTs are certified digital images that can be bought and sold.

The 75-year-old has hinted but never definitively said whether he will seek the presidency again.

He is currently under the shadow of multiple investigations and lawsuits, including over his tax filings and his efforts to cling to power after losing the 2020 election.

Some conservative politicians who still support Mr Trump, like House Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene – whose personal Twitter account was permanently suspended last month over Covid-19 misinformation – were given early access to a test version of the app.

“I understand what millions of conservatives have gone through having their personal freedom of speech stolen from them by Big Tech for not parroting the approved messaging,” she said in a tweet on her congressional account showing images of her account on Truth Social.

“Options are always good for consumers. Now we’ll see what happens.”