PM Modi joins Trump's Truth Social: What is it and how does it work?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has joined Trump's Truth Social platform, sparking interest worldwide. But what is Truth Social, and how does it work?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has officially joined Truth Social, the social media platform owned by US President Donald Trump. 

 

PM Modi announced his arrival on the platform on Monday, sharing a photo of himself and Trump on stage during his 2019 US visit to Houston, Texas, with the message that he was “delighted” to be on the platform.

 

 

This marks a rare moment in digital diplomacy, as PM Modi becomes one of the few world leaders to be active on Truth Social, a platform largely used by US conservatives and Trump supporters.

 

PM Modi’s debut on Truth Social

 

As of 1 pm on Tuesday, PM Modi has already attracted 24,000 followers while following just two people: President Donald Trump and US Vice President JD Vance. His first post has generated significant engagement, particularly among Indian and US users of the platform.

 

 

This comes shortly after Trump shared a link to PM Modi’s interview with popular podcaster Lex Fridman. In the interview, Modi touched on key topics including his personal journey, the Gujarat riots of 2002, and India’s evolving relationship with China—an issue closely watched by international observers.

 

But what is Truth Social? 

Truth Social was launched in February 2022 as a response to Trump’s temporary bans from Twitter (now X), Facebook, and YouTube after the US Capitol riots in January 2021. These platforms accused Trump of inciting violence, leading to a period of digital exile. In retaliation, Trump introduced Truth Social, promising a space for ‘free speech’ and unrestricted expression for those who felt censored by Big Tech.

 

Owned by Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), Truth Social is built to mimic Twitter/X’s functionality but with a unique branding twist: posts are called ‘Truths’, reposts are ‘Re-Truths’, and paid advertisements appear as ‘Sponsored Truths’. The platform allows users to post text, images, videos, and engage in private messaging—with an auto-delete feature for added privacy.

 

Platform struggling for reach   

Despite Trump’s high-profile endorsement, Truth Social has struggled to gain the same global traction as its competitors. According to Bloomberg data, the platform’s user traffic lags behind Twitter/X by a factor of 400, despite Trump’s personal following of 9.28 million on Truth Social—far less than the 87 million he commands on X.

 

In March 2024, Trump took TMTG public and now owns about 57 per cent of the company’s shares. The firm is valued at $4.45 billion, but financial reports show TMTG lost $400 million in 2024, generating a modest $3.6 million in revenue during the year. Legal battles over shares also loom, involving entities like ARC Global Investments, a Kuwait-based firm, and former contestants from Trump’s reality show ‘The Apprentice’, who hold disputed stakes in TMTG.

 

It’s key differences from X   

While Truth Social and X look similar on the surface, their philosophies and reach differ greatly. Truth Social promotes minimal moderation and a ‘free speech’ ethos, while X, especially under Elon Musk, still maintains content policies and moderation frameworks. Truth Social mainly serves a US-centric, conservative audience, while X remains global and diverse in its user base.

 

Technically, Truth Social is built on Mastodon, an open-source social network, whereas X relies on its proprietary infrastructure. This has occasionally led to performance issues for Truth Social, especially as it scales.

 

How to join Truth Social?   

Users can join Truth Social by downloading the app from Apple’s App Store or Google Play Store, or by visiting truthsocial.com(https://truthsocial.com). Sign-up requires email verification, confirmation of being over 18 years old, and the creation of a username and password. Users can then customise their profile and begin posting ‘Truths’ and ‘Re-Truths’.