Trump's Truth Social Tariff Post Sparks India-US Trade Deal Frenzy

Truth Social, launched in February 2022 by Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), has become the United States President's primary megaphone for politics and policy.

Initially dismissed as a "Twitter clone", Trump's relentless use of the platform - especially for major announcements like the India-US trade deal - has made it central to his political brand and a rallying point for supporters.

It was Trump's answer to being banned from Twitter and Facebook early 2021. He was then held responsible for allegedly inciting supporters to storm the US Capitol in Washington after his election defeat. He was temporarily suspended from posting on the platforms while several of his posts were removed.

Former Congressman Devin Nunes was appointed CEO to steer the growth of Truth Social, which was marketed as a "free speech" platform. The app debuted on Apple's App Store and later expanded to Android, drawing "millions of downloads in its first year".

A 'Forbes' report in April 2025 observed, "When Trump took Truth Social's parent company, Trump Media & Technology Group, public on March 26, he added some $4.1 billion to his net worth in a single day thanks to the meme-stock mania surrounding the business."

It had estimated Truth Social "really be worth" at a market value of USD 5.2 billion, with Trump's share estimated at USD 3 billion. And then, "Trump is a major stakeholder of Trump Media, owning 114.75 million shares representing about 52 per cent of the company.

In December, Trump Media announced a surprising USD 6 billion merger with nuclear fusion power company TAE Technologies, making Trump Media one of the only publicly traded nuclear fusion companies.

At today's prices, Trump's stake in Trump Media is worth more than USD 1.6 billion," reported the New York-based 'U.S. News' website last month. From the beginning, Trump used Truth Social not just for commentary but for headline-making posts. His early viral posts included attacks on "Big Tech censorship" and claims of election fraud, which were widely shared among his supporters.

Over time, the platform became the exclusive venue for Trump's major announcements - from campaign rallies, endorsements, to policy positions. Trump has used it to declare tariff changes, foreign policy moves, and trade deals - bypassing traditional press conferences.

Posts about cultural issues, such as Melania Trump's projects or Trump's own media ventures, also went viral, reinforcing the app's identity as a hub for his base. The pattern, with Trump posting first on Truth Social, followed by mainstream media coverage - has made the platform a central stage for his political and economic messaging.

Analysing his posts, the United Kingdom's 'The Independent' reported in June 2025, "Since returning to the White House on Jan. 20, Trump has taken to the social media site he owns, Truth Social, for a total of 2,145 original posts.... often with the curt sign-off: 'Thank you for your attention to this matter!'"

Over his first 100 days, The Independent found he had posted to his site more than 1,600 times, or at least 15 times a day on average through the end of April with the most frequent subject being illegal immigration.

"A Washington Post review of his Truth Social output that includes his "retruths" - reposts of content posted by another user on the platform - brings his total to 2,262 posts and reposts starting from the day he was sworn in until this past Sunday (June 1)," it added.

While Truth Social's user base remains modest compared to giants like Facebook or Twitter, Trump's over 11 million followers and his habit of using the app for breaking news have ensured its relevance.

In effect, Truth Social has evolved from a niche "alt-tech" experiment into a policy stage with global consequences, powered almost entirely by Trump's personal brand and his ability to turn posts into news events.

The app has reportedly been downloaded by more than 4.36 million people, with over 2 million active users said to be using it every month. While reports suggest the base 84 per cent of its users to be in the United States, there are few users in Brazil and India too.

- IANS