Trump Copes With Facebook, Twitter Ban by Relying on Email, Media Interviews
May 05 2021 - 11:19AM
Dow Jones News
By Alex Leary
In the heat of the 2016 presidential campaign, then-candidate
Donald Trump said, "I'm just not a believer in email." Since he was
banned from social media earlier this year, it has been his go-to
communication tool.
Unable since January to tweet, put videos on YouTube or post to
Facebook -- whose oversight board upheld the ban on Wednesday and
gave the company six months to determine whether Mr. Trump should
be permanently banned -- the former president has been blast
emailing statements to comment on daily news developments, endorse
candidates and target critics.
He continues to claim in emailed statements and in private
gatherings with supporters that the election was rigged. There is
no evidence there was widespread fraud in the election, and Mr.
Trump's campaign and his allies failed in dozens of court
challenges to the results.
"They're really much more elegant. And the word is getting out,"
Mr. Trump said of his emailed statements in a recent Newsmax
interview.
"The tweeting gets you in trouble," Mr. Trump added. "You're
retweeting people and you find out that the retweets were not so
good, because the person -- if you didn't do research -- that
you're retweeting is not the best. ... I like this better than
Twitter. Actually, they did us a favor."
But while Mr. Trump once could instantly communicate to tens of
millions of people, his email reach is smaller and slower, people
familiar with the process say. News outlets that once hung on his
every word are being more selective. Lawmakers too say they are
relieved not to have to react to the barrage of tweets.
A spokesman declined to say how large the email list is.
Mr. Trump has floated the idea of creating his own social-media
platform. On Tuesday, Mr. Trump's website added a section that
contains his statements with buttons for people to share on Twitter
and Facebook. Trump spokesman Jason Miller said in a tweet that the
site is "not a new social media platform. We'll have additional
information coming on that front in the very near future."
Mr. Trump has done a handful of TV interviews, with Newsmax, One
America News Network and Fox News, allowing him a broad audience.
He has also appeared on podcasts and radio shows. In a conversation
last week with conservative host Dan Bongino, Mr. Trump suggested
he is planning to revive his campaign-style rallies, while he
continues to tease the idea of running for president in 2024.
He has closely followed the news from his Mar-a-Lago club in
Florida, aides say, and has regular talks with political advisers.
A stream of candidates have visited him in hopes of an endorsement.
Some are holding fundraisers at the club, in hopes the former
president makes a personal appearance. Mr. Trump is planning to
relocate to his Bedminster golf club in New Jersey for the
summer.
The Trump statements are sent through his official office or
political-action committee, Save America PAC. They read like long
versions of his former tweets, full of capital letters, exclamation
points, boasts about his record in office, attacks on rivals and
general musings.
"What used to be called The Academy Awards, and now is called
the 'Oscars' -- a far less important and elegant name -- had the
lowest Television Ratings in recorded history, even much lower than
last year, which set another record low," he wrote last week.
"Why is it that every time the 2020 ELECTION FRAUD is discussed,
the Fake News Media consistently states that such charges are
baseless, unfounded, unwarranted, etc.?" he lamented on April 2.
"Other than that, Happy Easter!"
Mr. Trump dictates the messages to an aide, according to two
people familiar with the process, and the message is reviewed by
staff before being sent out. He is given a printed-out copy and
sometimes makes edits in black marker.
Some of the emails have generated news, such as one attacking
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) following his
criticism of Mr. Trump's rhetoric leading up to the Jan. 6 Capitol
riot. Despite the Twitter ban, the statements have appeared in
tweets from other users.
Republican adversaries are a frequent target, including House
GOP Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney of Wyoming, Utah Sen. Mitt
Romney and his former national security adviser John Bolton.
The back and forth with Ms. Cheney escalated this week, after
Mr. Trump issued an email statement calling the 2020 election "THE
BIG LIE." She responded on Twitter that calling the election stolen
poisons the democratic system, prompting him to call her a
"warmonger" who polls badly.
Regardless of the Facebook decision, Mr. Trump appears to have
moved on from Twitter, which banned him permanently. Speaking on
Fox News in late March, he said, "It's become very, very
boring."
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 05, 2021 11:04 ET (15:04 GMT)
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