Donald Trump's 'TRUTH Social' ahead of Twitter, TikTok on Apple Store: Elon Musk

Elon Musk announced on April 27 that former US President Donald Trump's social networking site, 'TRUTH Social,' is the most popular social media app on the Apple Store. "Truth Social is currently beating Twitter & TikTok on the Apple Store," the world's richest man wrote on Twitter.

It's still unclear what Musk was getting at with his tweet. However, following Musk's takeover of the microblogging site Twitter on Tuesday (IST), Trump informed Fox News that he would never return to the platform. Musk stated that he has agreed to buy Twitter for $44 billion. Trump, on the other hand, stated that he will formally join his own TRUTH Social in the coming seven days, as scheduled.

"I am not going on Twitter, I am going to stay on TRUTH...I hope Elon buys Twitter because he’ll make improvements to it and he is a good man, but I am going to be staying on TRUTH," the former US president remarked in a statement. Trump informed a US news website that he will start "TRUTHing" in the coming week.

TRUTH Social, the Trump Media & Technology Group's social media network, was launched last month. The company's CEO is Devin Nunes, a former Republican congressman from California.

Following the 6 January 2021 Capitol riot, Trump was permanently banned from Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. A number of his tweets on the violent protests were judged offensive by Twitter, which warned of "the risk of further incitement of violence." 

Musk's Twitter deal

Moreover, on being asked if a Musk-owned Twitter would be a threat to TRUTH, Trump told Fox News that he believes it would be a good thing for the social media space. Notably, Elon Musk, the tech billionaire, has taken ownership of Twitter in one of the biggest tech deals in history. Musk will pay around $44 billion for the social network, with shares valued at $54.20. On April 14, Musk announced his takeover attempt, calling it his 'best and last offer.'

However, Twitter initially put in place a "poison pill defence" against the hostile takeover. Nevertheless, after Musk stated that he had obtained finance, the Tesla board entered into negotiations with the co-founder of the company. Musk met "privately with some shareholders of the firm to laud the merits of his idea" on Friday, according to the Wall Street Journal, and also made video calls to them to press his case.

(With agency inputs, Image: AP/Shutterstock/Unsplash)