A new filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission confirms that Former President Donald Trump will almost certainly be back on Twitter. That is, assuming his lifetime ban is lifted, and assuming the Elon Musk deal actually goes through.
The newly released document is part of an ongoing process taking Trump’s Truth Social public via a SPAC acquisition (i.e. a shell company that goes public first and then merges with Truth to avoid Truth Social having to face financial scrutiny). Among other things, the filing outlined Trump’s quasi exclusive deal with the Truth Social platform.
“President Trump is generally obligated to make any social media post on TruthSocial and may not make the same post on another social media site for 6 hours. Thereafter, he is free to post on any site to which he has access,” the document said.
But there was one big, additional caveat: “In addition, [Trump] may make a post from a personal account related to political messaging, political fundraising or get-out-the-vote efforts on any social media site at any time.”
So, as long as it’s content that could be considered political, Trump is allowed to post it on any social media platform at any time. And “political” is arguably an infinitely large umbrella for a former president, and likely future presidential hopeful. It’s a pretty glaring loophole for someone who recently claimed he would be sticking solely to his own platform.
Musk, who is in the midst of his tumultuous $US44 ($61) billion Twitter purchase (that may or may not actually happen), has made it clear that he would reinstate Trump on the platform, if he becomes the owner. Trump was permanently kicked off the site to avoid further incitement of violence after his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6th.
However, Twitter deal or no deal, Trump can take comfort in the fact that it is contractually impossible for him to be booted from his own platform. Trump will, at least, always have access to Truth.
From Monday’s Truth Social SEC filing:
TMTG has entered into a licence agreement with President Trump wherein neither the personal nor political conduct of President Trump, even if such conduct could negatively reflect on TMTG’s reputation or brand or be considered offensive, dishonest, illegal, immoral, or unethical, or otherwise harmful to TMTG’s brand or reputation, shall be considered a breach of the licence agreement. TMTG expressly acknowledges the controversial nature of being associated with President Trump and the possibility of any associated controversies affecting TMTG adversely.