Donald Trump’s social media app launches on Apple store

Donald Trump's return to social media after being banned from several platforms last year is off to a bumpy start: the former president's new social media venture, Truth Social, launched on Apple's App Store on Sunday, rife with errors, malfunctions, and looming questions.

Despite being available to download shortly before midnight eastern time and automatically downloaded to Apple devices whose users had pre-ordered it, the app prevented many users from creating an account.

Other users reported they were added to a waitlist after several attempts to register an account with a message: "Due to massive demand, we have placed you on our waitlist."

The app bears a striking resemblance to Twitter, which Truth Social is positioning itself as an uncensored alternative to. Twitter declined to comment about whether it planned to pursue any action against Truth Social for copyright infringement.

Still, it was the top free app available on the App Store early on Monday. The app has been available for people invited to use it during its test phase, Reuters previously reported.

Trump was banned from Twitter, Facebook and YouTube after the attack on the US Capitol by his supporters in January 2021, after he was accused of posting messages inciting violence.

Led by the former Republican US congressman Devin Nunes, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), the venture behind Truth Social, joins a growing portfolio of technology companies that are positioning themselves as champions of free speech and hope to draw users who feel their views are suppressed on more established platforms.