Trump plans social media return with his own platform: Ex-aide

WASHINGTON • Former US president Donald Trump plans to return to social media soon, using "his own platform" after being banned from Twitter and other outlets, said a former adviser.

"I do think that we're going to see... Trump returning to social media in probably about two or three months," Mr Jason Miller told Fox News on Sunday.

"It's going to completely redefine the game, and everybody is going to be waiting and watching to see what exactly (he) does, but it will be his own platform," said Mr Miller, who held senior posts in both of Mr Trump's presidential campaigns.

Mr Trump's provocative use of social media was a defining feature of his presidency, as he drew 88 million followers to Twitter and often used tweets to slam his critics or to announce personnel changes or policy shifts.

But Twitter permanently suspended his account after he used it to encourage people to take part in the rally that turned into the violent storming of the United States Capitol on Jan 6.

Mr Trump was also banned, temporarily or permanently, by other major platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.

Since leaving Washington and returning to his Mar-a-Lago resort home in Florida, the former president has kept a relatively low profile, largely relegated to issuing occasional news releases.

But Mr Miller said Mr Trump had been hard at work.

"There've been a lot of high-power meetings he's been having at Mar-a-Lago with some teams of folks who've been coming in," Mr Miller said. "There have been numerous companies."

He added: "This new platform is going to be big, and everyone wants him. He's going to bring millions and millions - tens of millions of people to this new platform."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

88m Number of followers Mr Donald Trump had on Twitter during his presidency.