Trump sought Elon Musk’s interest in buying Truth Social, reports reveal

Former US President Donald Trump reached out to entrepreneur and business magnate Elon Musk last summer, inquiring whether the Tesla CEO would want to purchase Truth Social, as per media reports citing people aware of the talks, which did not lead to a deal.

Truth Social is a social media platform that was announced by Trump in October 2021. It is aimed to offer an alternative to mainstream social media platforms, which some conservatives believe have censored their views.

Although the conversation that took place between the two didn't result in a deal, the Washington Post report also pointed out the extent of communication between the two influential figures. It said that Trump and Musk often had discussions on politics as well as business.

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It must be noted that Trump often expresses his opinions and thoughts openly, sometimes without filters, which ends up stoking controversies. Musk, the owner of X, formerly Twitter, in November 2022 restored Trump's account on the platform nearly two years after the former US president was banned for inciting violence.

Now, even as Trump does not post on X, he continues to use Truth Social, where he frequently communicates his views directly to his followers.

Meet between Trump and Musk

The report, which indicated a continuing relationship between Trump and Musk, said that there was a meeting between the two earlier this month, along with some Republican donors in Palm Beach, Florida. Although the details of their discussions remain undisclosed.

It is worth mentioning that Musk's political views and affiliations are not strictly aligned with either conservatives or Democrats. He has described himself as a 'socialist' in the past.

Even as Musk has made donations to both Republican and Democratic candidates in the past, this time the SpaceX CEO, after his meeting with Trump, wrote on X,"Just to be super clear, I am not donating money to either candidate for US President."

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Despite Musk's acquisition of Twitter, now rebranded as X, for $44 billion in 2022, he expressed little interest in Truth Social, even criticising its name publicly. Trump has been persistent in his efforts to garner support for the platform and to increase its user base and financial value.

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Trump's media venture, which owns Truth Social, faced financial challenges, including legal issues.

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Moreover, challenges are also surrounding Trump, particularly in securing funds to address substantial legal cases against him.

(With inputs from agencies)