The president frequently uses Truth Social to announce policies and share commentary, but only about 3% of U.S. adults use the platform, according to Pew Research. That limited audience can mute exposure to posts that reveal unusual behavior — including a surge of 158 posts in three hours, a racist repost, and apparent confusion over an AI video and an unfolding shooting. When items do break into mainstream coverage, they fuel public debate over the president’s fitness and judgment.
Trump Runs His Presidency Through Truth Social — What Most Americans Miss
Donald Trump speaks to reporters at Joint Base Andrews in December.Photograph: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images
When President Donald Trump wants to communicate, he increasingly turns to Truth Social. The platform has become a primary venue for policy statements, reactionary commentary, and content that offers a direct window into his thinking and behavior.
Who Sees It — And Who Doesn’t
A Pew Research Center study published in late November found that only about 3% of U.S. adults use Truth Social. That narrow audience means many posts remain visible primarily to a small, self-selecting group — a filter that can limit public exposure to presidential communications and, critics say, shield the president from wider scrutiny.
Examples Raising Questions
Several episodes on Truth Social have prompted concern or confusion.
- Surge of Posts: In early December the president published roughly 158 posts within a three-hour span, an unusual burst that drew attention to how he is spending his time online.
- Racist Repost: On 1 December he reposted content referring to Somali Americans with deeply offensive language. That post initially received limited coverage, although similar framing later surfaced in other comments by the president.
- False Update About A Shooting: At 5:44 p.m. on a Saturday he posted that “the suspect” in a Brown University shooting “is in custody,” then corrected the statement 19 minutes later: “The suspect is NOT in custody.” The original post spread confusion for those who saw it.
- AI Video Confusion: In late September the president reshared an AI-generated video that depicted him announcing so-called “med bed hospitals,” a conspiratorial claim. He later deleted the post; the episode raised questions about whether he believed the clip was genuine or realized it was AI.
- Random Reshares: Observers note frequent reposting of short clips and photos without context, including a 10-second clip set to a dance track and images of the president with no caption.
Why It Matters
Truth Social is owned by entities tied to Trump, and its valuation has been cited as a factor in his reported net worth. Because the platform has limited reach, much of the president’s online behavior can go unseen by the broader public — even when it may bear on assessments of his performance or judgment. When posts do break through, mainstream outlets often amplify them, making the behavior visible beyond the platform.
“Some of Trump’s output is amplified by mainstream media, and recirculated across various other platforms,” said Emmitt Riley III, Associate Professor of Politics at the University of the South and President of the National Conference of Black Political Scientists.
Critics point to video and photographic evidence of the president appearing tired or inattentive at meetings and events. Supporters may interpret the same material differently, raising the question of whether observers — and voters — will accept what they see or dismiss it.
What’s Next
As the Republican Party campaigns ahead of pivotal elections, Truth Social will likely remain a core communications tool for Trump. The platform’s small user base means journalists and watchdogs will still be the primary vector for turning individual posts into broader public scrutiny.
