A “communications platform” former President Donald Trump launched in early May as a means to reach his followers is shutting down after usage tanked.
Trump senior aide Jason Miller justified the site’s forced retirement to CNBC on Wednesday, saying it was “auxiliary to the broader efforts we have and are working on.”
Miller declined to elaborate on those efforts, but did confirm the website “will not be returning.”
A Trump adviser told The Washington Post on the condition of anonymity that the former president was upset that people were mocking his blog instead of reading it.
The webpage, “From the Desk of Donald J. Trump,” was hawked as a replacement for Trump’s posts on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other social media platforms after they banned him following his baseless claims of election fraud, which incited the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
But its actual utility came into question soon after its May 5 launch. Social media interactions plummeted from 159,000 its first day to just 15,000 three days later, a Washington Post analysis found.
Internet denizens were also quick to note that it was less of a platform and more of a blog, albeit one that encouraged visitors to share Trump’s long-winded posts on their own social media accounts.
The shutdown may be a boon to MyPillow CEO and stalwart Trump ally Mike Lindell, who launched his own social media website in April. Lindell said at the time that his platform is all about free speech ― unless you want to swear or use God’s name in vain, which will get you banned.
“Another thing you can’t do in there is totally defame someone,” said Lindell, who is being sued for libel by Dominion Voting Systems to the tune of $1.3 billion.
“From the Desk of Donald J. Trump” was preceded in death by Trump Airlines, Trump beverages, Trump: The Game, numerous Trump casinos, Trump magazine, Trump Mortgage, Trump Steaks, a Trump travel website, Trump telecom, Trump University, and Trump Vodka.