On Monday, October 16, 2023, President Joe Biden’s campaign took an unexpected digital dive by announcing its entrance into Truth Social, the social media platform founded by former President Donald Trump. The decision, they explained, was grounded in their intent to “meet voters where they are.”
The move was met with a blend of surprise and amusement when the Biden campaign disclosed another reason for joining, admitting that they thought it would be “very funny.” Their inaugural post on Truth Social from @BidenHQ echoed this sentiment, stating: “Well. Let’s see how this goes. Converts welcome!”
Not limiting their engagement to mere commentary, the Biden campaign has actively leveraged the platform to spotlight criticisms made by Republican politicians against Trump. Notable figures such as Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, and Florida Representative Matt Gaetz have all been featured in their posts. Speaking to Fox News, a campaign official emphasized, “We will be leveraging the fact that Republicans can sometimes be our best messengers.”
This tactic is not novel for the Biden administration. In the past, they’ve converted statements from Republican figures, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, into campaign promotional material. However, their activity on Truth Social might ruffle some feathers, especially given the platform’s history and allegiance.
The fact that Truth Social was created by Trump as an alternative to mainstream social media platforms like Twitter may make Biden’s presence there even more contentious.
While it’s probable that the former president won’t take too kindly to what may be seen as trolling, this development might be a silver lining for Truth Social. Recent reports indicate that the platform has been grappling with financial hardships. Presently, Truth Social boasts around two million active users, a paltry sum compared to platforms like Facebook, which commands an audience of 2.91 billion.
Regardless of the motivations or implications, the mere announcement of Biden’s campaign joining Truth Social sparked a flurry of discussions and interest online. Whether this digital strategy proves to be effective for the Biden campaign or provides the much-needed boost for Truth Social remains to be seen.