WASHINGTON D.C., DC — At a time when American national politics are so polarized, is it an attempt at unity, or a big joke?
An account popped up on Truth Social – Donald Trump’s social media site – claiming to be for the Biden-Harris campaign.
A viewer texted us to ask if it could possibly be real.
QUESTION
Did the Biden-Harris campaign create an account on Truth Social?
SOURCES
- Biden-Harris campaign
- Rob Flaherty, Deputy Campaign Manager, Joe Biden for President
- Parker Butler, Director of Digital Rapid Response, Joe Biden for President
- Truth Social
ANSWER
Whether it's for fun or an effective campaign strategy, the Biden-Harris campaign is posting on Truth Social
WHAT WE FOUND
When the account @BidenHQ showed up Monday afternoon, its first post said, “Well. Let’s see how this goes. Converts welcome!”
Donald Trump founded Truth Social in 2022. It was a response to having his accounts suspended by Meta and X (known as Twitter at the time) in the aftermath of the January 6 attack at the U.S. Capitol. It has since become popular with fans of the former President and people who are politically conservative.
Since its creation, the @BidenHQ account has posted comments critical of Donald Trump or shared clips of his Republican rivals either taking aim at Trump or praising Biden.
Rob Flaherty and Parker Butler, a pair of high-ranking members of the Biden-Harris campaign, each posted on their personal X accounts about the campaign’s decision to join Truth Social.
The bio on the account is the same as the campaign uses on its X and Threads accounts – and it has linked to the Truth Social page from both of those platforms.
The Truth Social account also has a red verification check. According to Truth Social, those check marks, “are reserved for well-known, highly searched notable accounts in the following (categories):
- Government
- Brands, companies
- Journalists
- Sports (including esports)
- Entertainment”
Truth Social says applicants must submit photo ID and other evidence to prove their identity and qualify for verification.
