Donald Trump has been in talks with no-name app vendors as he contemplates partnering with an existing platform to create his own social media network, according to sources familiar with the private discussions.
Driving the news: Among the social networking apps the former president and his digital adviser Dan Scavino have homed in on is a relatively unknown platform called FreeSpace, these sources told Axios.
- It's unclear how this business relationship would work. Trump is famously averse to putting his own money into companies, preferring to license his name and use other people's money to fund his ventures.
- It's also by no means a done deal. A source briefed on the situation said Trump had not made a final decision on the social network. "It could be any of several companies, with more meetings this week," the source said.
- Trump senior adviser Jason Miller told Fox News' "#MediaBuzz" on Sunday, "I do think that we're going to see President Trump returning to social media in probably about two or three months here, with his own platform."
Between the lines: It seems surprising that "FreeSpace" caught Trump's attention. It employs touchy-feely positivity language that's the polar opposite of the incendiary and divisive social media persona he cultivated before he was banned from Twitter and Facebook following the Jan. 6 Capitol attack....
- "FreeSpace" bills itself as being "backed by science to positively reinforce good habits & make the world a better place."
- It talks about "FINDING COMMON VALUES and highlighting them, so people