Donald Trump has certainly made a mark on social media, but his recent posts on Truth Social, the platform he established in 2021, have taken a puzzling turn. With a limited user base providing little scrutiny, he seems more free to express his more unusual thoughts.
Since his presidency began, Trump has shared a myriad of “truths” on the platform. He has made statements like, “I will reconsider myself as the king,” and urged Americans to be “cool!” particularly when the stock market was adjusting amid his trade policies. His messages often feature a quirky mix of erratic punctuation and occasional spelling errors that are puzzling.
Trump’s posts tend to fall into three main categories: attacks on perceived adversaries, reposts of compliments, and personal images or videos that might not connect clearly to what he’s discussing.
In his critiques of judges—often referred to as “the radical left judge”—he notably bypasses traditional decorum, lambasting judiciary members who don’t expedite his requests. Trump expressed frustration, saying, “What’s going on in our courts? They’re totally out of control,” in reaction to a ruling that blocked the government from removing non-citizens without due process.
He has also pointed fingers at Joe Biden, claiming that under Biden’s administration, over half a million undocumented immigrants were brought into the U.S. in just one day. He questioned where the justice is, contrasting this with what he perceives as excessive legal processes for returning them home.
Trump has placed considerable blame on New York Attorney General Letitia James for his legal woes, particularly in a case regarding payments to an adult film star. Recently, he has targeted her with accusations of mortgage fraud, which she has dismissed as “unfounded.” Trump called her an “eccentric con man,” among other disparaging remarks.
However, amidst his more combative posts, there are instances where he shows a softer side. For example, he announced his intention to attend Pope Francis’s funeral, stating that he and Melania were looking forward to paying their respects. He even shared a video where he praised the Pope, calling him a “good man,” while humorously standing next to a person in an Easter Bunny costume.
Trump tends to be prolific on his platform, posting dozens of updates a day, interspersed with advertisements for various services. He comments on various issues, venting frustrations over the rule of law and personal grievances. Recently, he warned that countries purchasing oil from Iran would face “secondary sanctions.”
Despite the significance of his messages, they’re often shared with a limited audience—around 5 million users each month—making it feel like he might be shouting into the void. His posts, especially concerning legal matters and events like the war in Ukraine, come across as somewhat frantic.
He also shares random snippets of his life that resemble the social media behavior of older relatives, like posting a video of himself arriving in Italy without much context. Other posts have included playful moments, like one where he’s seen shaking a golf ball.
Self-praise is a common theme as well; Trump enjoys spotlighting endorsements or compliments aimed at him, further solidifying his unique role in reshaping the Republican Party into something quite distinct from its prior incarnations.
In a recent post, he criticized The Wall Street Journal and other outlets, claiming they are misleading in economic reporting, and asserted, “This will be America’s golden age! Is there pain? Yes, maybe (and perhaps not!), but we will make America great again.”
While it’s unclear what tangible outcomes his policies will produce, his musings and personal viewpoints continue to pour out onto his less-visited platform, which certainly makes for entertaining reading.
