Donald Trump's 'Beacon of Freedom' Blog Has Been Officially Shut Down for Good
Jun. 3 2021, Published 11:54 a.m. ET
After barely a month on the internet, "From the Desk of Donald J. Trump," the former president's blog-style website has gone the way of his other accounts and has been shut down for good. It started as a response to his ban from almost all major social media platforms, and although many of Trump's loyal supporters were excited for his return to the internet via his own means, it seems the plan didn't work out since the website has shut down.
Considering the fact that Trump is looking to up his presence in the public eye yet again leading into the 2022 midterm elections and teasing a 2024 reelection bid, it seems fairly odd that he would opt to end his only form of communication with constituents. So, why did Trump actually shut down his blog, and are there any other plans in the works? Keep reading for all the known details.
Trump apparently shut down his blog because he was frustrated by its low readership.
According to The New York Times, Trump opted to shut down his early 2000s-style blog website because he was feeling burned by the fact that the page was attracting very little traffic. Although neither Trump nor his associates have corroborated this theory, it seems plausible when you factor in a report from The Washington Post in May 2021 that showed little traffic on the page even right after its launch.
The site seemingly only cost a few thousand dollars to develop and was the brainchild of a company helmed by a former campaign manager, Brad Parscale. Brad believed wholly in the project at launch, touting it as an effective means for Trump to communicate with his followers despite the fact that his other, larger social media accounts are banned.
At the time that The Washington Post reported on the low readership, Trump issued a statement of rebuttal. He claimed, "This [website] is meant to be a temporary way of getting my thoughts and ideas out to the public without the Fake News spin."
Trump doubled down on the fact that the website is not his official "platform," however. He said, "It is merely a way of communicating until I decide on what the future will be for the choice or establishment of a platform."
Reports suggest that Trump's close-knit circle of advisors is a bit frustrated with the decision to shut down his only official form of communication left, but many are speculating that this may also be the precursor for Trump returning to a major social media platform in some way soon.
When asked about the potential for Trump to rejoin a major social platform, his advisor, Jason Miller, said that it is possible and fans would have to stay tuned to see what Trump's next move would be.
