[Global Focus] 2,262 Posts in 132 Days... The Politics of Trump's SNS

Posts 138 Times a Day... Even Has SNS Aides
Sets the Agenda Through SNS... Diplomatic Friction and Spread of Conspiracy Theories
A Space for Trump... Amplifying MAGA Influence

President Donald Trump of the United States is utilizing social networking services (SNS) as a powerful political tool. He posts an average of 17 times per day, using the platform to announce policies or communicate with his supporters. At the same time, President Trump's SNS accounts have become venues for spreading fake news and have also been sources of diplomatic friction with foreign countries.

According to an analysis by the Washington Post (WP), President Trump posted approximately 2,262 times on his SNS platform, Truth Social, as of the 132nd day of his term, which was June 1 (local time).

Data from the Trump Twitter Archive indicates that this is more than three times the number of tweets President Trump posted during the same period of his first term. In early 2017, the day President Trump posted the most on Twitter, he wrote 14 posts in a single day. However, in March of this year, he set a new record by posting 138 times in just one day.

An Even More Powerful SNS Politics... From Staff Support to Trump's Direct Involvement

President Trump has about 9.9 million followers on Truth Social (as of the 8th), which is a small number compared to the more than 100 million followers he had on X (formerly Twitter). The difference is also clear when comparing the platforms' power. X is used by people around the world, while Truth Social is centered on President Trump's supporters, making it difficult to compare their influence. However, the power of SNS politics has become much stronger in his second administration.

President Trump is supported by a robust staff that helps him post on SNS throughout the day. According to the Independent, citing White House sources, Dan Scavino, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff, manages President Trump's SNS accounts. Scavino was selected after working as President Trump's golf caddy at age 16 and later appeared on the reality show "The Apprentice." He served as White House Director of Social Media during Trump's first administration.

Additionally, Natalie Harp, a former Fox News host, posts on SNS under President Trump's direction. Since the presidential campaign, she has carried a small printer to print major news stories and deliver them to President Trump. He is known to call her "sweetie" and treat her like a daughter.

However, President Trump often posts directly as well. A senior White House official told the WP that this sometimes surprises staff members who see news on TV late at night or early in the morning.

Trump's SNS at the Center of U.S. Politics... From Key Policies Like Tariffs and Appointments to Conspiracy Theories

President Trump's SNS is not just a communication channel. It delivers political messages and stands at the center of Washington politics. U.S. online media Axios reported that President Trump creates and shares political and economic news via SNS.

For example, on May 30, President Trump criticized China on Truth Social for violating the tariff war truce agreement, which led to a drop in the stock market. On the same day, during a speech at the US Steel plant in Pennsylvania, he announced plans to raise tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from 25% to 50%, and spread this message through Truth Social. From the announcement of major appointments, such as nominating Jared Isaacman as NASA Administrator immediately after his election, to the withdrawal of that nomination on June 1, President Trump has used Truth Social to make significant personnel announcements.

Furthermore, he has fueled baseless claims and even influenced foreign policy. On May 27, targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was intensifying attacks during ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine, President Trump wrote on Truth Social that Putin was "playing with fire." On May 25, he called Putin "completely crazy." He has also repeatedly claimed on SNS that Canada, a sovereign nation, should become the 51st state of the United States, drawing backlash from Canadians.

On May 31, he shared a conspiracy theory on SNS suggesting that his predecessor, President Joe Biden, is actually a clone or robot. This was a post by an anonymous Truth Social user claiming, "Joe Biden was executed in 2020 and does not exist," and "is merely a soulless being created by cloning and robotics."

Donald Trump, President of the United States. Photo by AP Yonhap News

Why SNS Politics? ... Beyond Economic Gain and Influence, Providing a Space for MAGA

President Trump was known as an SNS enthusiast even before entering politics. He commented on all sorts of issues, from Hollywood celebrity relationships to the outfits of famous singers. However, his recent focus on SNS cannot be seen as a mere hobby.

Economic gain also appears to be a factor behind his active SNS use. Truth Social is owned by Trump Media & Technology Group. President Trump's stake in Truth Social is worth over $2 billion (about 2.72 trillion won). The more impact SNS politics has, the more his personal wealth increases.

According to President Trump's close associates, the reason he focuses on Truth Social is because he owns the majority of shares in the parent company, Trump Media, and stands to benefit if Truth Social succeeds. U.S. broadcaster MSNBC analyzed that by constantly posting, he encourages the public and media to join the platform to keep up with his announcements in real time, thereby increasing the platform's value and making President Trump even wealthier.

Some analysts say President Trump enjoys his influence as an influencer. In fact, during the presidential campaign, he revealed on a podcast that one of his aides told him he was "the most influential person among all influencers."

Above all, the ecosystem of Truth Social is completely different from X, which President Trump actively used during his first term. The majority of users are ardent supporters, and whenever President Trump posts, the responses are overwhelmingly positive. Posts made by President Trump on SNS spread among Truth Social users and gain momentum as they move beyond the platform. Darren Linvill, co-director and professor at the Clemson University Media Forensics Hub, said, "President Trump's messages move from Truth Social to X in real time, and they are spreading as widely as, or perhaps even more widely than, when he posted on Twitter."

Claire Wardle, associate professor at Cornell University, analyzed that although Truth Social has fewer followers, it plays an important role as a platform that supplies pro-Trump talking points for MAGA (Make America Great Again) influencers to promote. Professor Wardle said, "If you don't spend time on Truth Social, it's easy to ignore," but added, "However, those who do spend time there see these posts, and the same topics are repeated and amplified across every page, newsletter, and podcast."

In particular, foreign media and experts have noted that Truth Social is a space dedicated solely to President Trump. Axios pointed out, "With no fact-checking and no accountability for false claims, President Trump can declare himself 'right in every way,' as he has done in many of his posts."

Professor Linvill said, "Looking at President Trump's SNS activity, it appears that over time he has been drawn deeper into his own echo chamber," adding, "Truth Social provides him with complete and continuous positive feedback."