Is it a case of the timing being too early, or are voters just tired of the man? Donald Trump should be a candidate who should be dominating headlines, being a former president, a 2024 candidate, and a figure loathed by liberal America and its allies in the media. Not saying this would happen in real life because Trump is a germaphobe, but if he had used the restroom without washing his hands, and someone leaked that information—the media would have devoted days of coverage on it. No longer being president does reduce your standing on the totem pole, no matter how badly Joe Biden bungles a situation. He’s the one with the bully pulpit now, not Trump. Yet, as Trump ramps up his presidential campaign, there is one area he needs to return to with gusto: Twitter.
The man has over 80 million followers—why isn’t he using it? He should be tweeting right now, but it is devoted to his alternative Truth Social platform, which no one uses. The only times I hear about Truth Social are when others mention it, or liberal reporters take screenshots of Trump’s statements, which are then posted on Twitter. The latter platform gets the reach his Truth Social activity fails to generate. It’s a byzantine system: post of Truth Social only to have it amplified by those who still use Twitter.
A lot can happen between now and when GOP voters head to the polls, but for a man who yearns to be in the spotlight, you’d think he’s exploiting his return to Twitter after being banned in a politically based targeting. The one thing Ron DeSantis folks should be wary of is the man peaking too soon. The Florida governor hasn’t declared yet, but he’s a few percentage points behind Trump. CNN’s Margaret Hoover recently made a good point: What do Scott Walker and Jeb Bush have in common? They peaked too soon.
We’ll see if that trend continues, but I’m still high on Ron though we’ll have to reevaluate if he does run and after he presents himself among rallies and the debates. If he cannot command a room like Trump, it’s Trump’s primary to lose. Perhaps, that’s why the former president is just waiting. He doesn’t need to tweet…yet. If Ron comes out of the gate being the candidate many expected, Trump will probably hop back on Twitter to counterpunch more effectively.
It's a massive resource he used expertly to defeat a crowded 2016 GOP field and win the presidency. Why he isn’t using it remains puzzling, especially when he’s on top right now. Then again, his jabs at DeSantis have missed the mark, ranging from low energy to outright inappropriate. Those posts probably would be best to die on Truth Social. Trump’s name-calling game has degraded some as well, so I’m guessing Trump is using Truth Social as preseason to work out the kinks and then get back onto the Twitter field for opening day.
You must use social media in this presidential endeavor, Mr. Trump. And your alternative isn’t a legitimate substitute.
