Who Is Funding Trump's Truth Social?

From not-quite gold bars to switchblades...

Like many other social media platforms, Truth Social – which Donald Trump founded in February 2022 – relies on advertising revenue to keep it afloat.

But with a distinct lack of big-name brands among its clientele, the platform has opted to promote all manner of businesses to its users instead. 

From Trump-branded gold bars to "anti-woke" children's books, read on to discover some of the ads that have appeared on Truth Social since its launch, and who's behind them.

All dollar amounts in US dollars.

Mike Lindell's MyPillow

As one of Donald Trump's staunchest supporters, it's no surprise that Mike Lindell has an active presence on Truth Social. But the self-described "Executive Producer. Author. Evangelist" (to quote his bio on the platform) doesn't just post in a personal capacity.

Users of Truth Social can find ads galore for MyPillow 2.0, the latest iteration of Lindell's flagship MyPillow product. 

Lindell is the CEO of My Pillow, Inc., the Minnesota-based bedding company he founded in 2004. While the business enjoyed meteoric growth in its early years, the UK's Daily Mail reported in July 2023 that a string of issues and controversies has recently seen its sales drop by an unfathomable 95%. 

The Kids Guide

Forget storybooks about princesses and pirates. The Kids Guide series, which advertises on Truth Social, offers books that cover topics ranging from fighting socialism and "our one nation under God" to the constitutional right to carry a firearm.

Mike Huckabee, co-founder of The Kids Guide, says the "essential" series "will counteract the liberal bias your kids are hearing every day in their classrooms and in the media, and will give them the tools to think for themselves."

BRAVE Books

And The Kids Guide series isn't the only range of children's books promoted via Truth Social.

BRAVE Books, which describes its range as containing titles that "parents can trust," aims to help mums and dads "instill [sic] a love of truth in their children so that the children will withstand harmful progressive influences."

Titles on offer include Raisin' Me a Country Girl, Paws Off My Cannon, and Fame, Blame, and the Raft of Shame.

Vaccine exemption cards

Vaccine mandates in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic stoked political tensions in America.

Although Trump didn't impose mandates, he was booed by conservatives after revealing he had taken a booster shot, later telling the Daily Wire: "Forget about the mandates, people have to have their freedom, but at the same time, the vaccine is one of the greatest achievements of mankind… I came up with a vaccine – with three vaccines. All are very, very good; came up with three of them in less than nine months. It was supposed to take five to 12 years."

For Americans who don't want Trump's "very, very good" vaccines, this ad on Truth Social gives them the option to own a card stating loud and proud that they don't do vaccinations.

America First Insurance

Ever wondered if the life insurance company you bought your policy from is a bit... well, woke? A certain Truth Social advertiser might have the answer.

Promising to insure your life while "protecting your liberty," America First Insurance is endorsed by the likes of Donald Trump Jr. and YouTuber "Big Hoss" Brandon Bing. 

According to the company website: "As America’s conservative insurance agency, we are committed to providing, [sic] simple, high quality, and affordable insurance solutions, while fighting tirelessly for the shared values we believe in."

Trump-branded "gold" bars

You only need to look at the gilded interior of his private jet, Trump Force One, to know that Donald Trump is obsessed with all things 24-carat.

Now, thanks to a Truth Social ad, loyal supporters can receive their very own "free Trump 2024 gold bar."

There are just two small catches: the free gold bars are reportedly neither free nor made from gold. How closely the figure on the front of each gold-plated bar resembles Trump is also up for debate, though some might say the color-matching is uncanny...

Trump bobblehead

Nicknamed "The Trumpinator" in a thinly-veiled nod to classic 80s movie The Terminator, this Donald Trump bobblehead could be yours for free thanks to this Truth Social ad.

The same product is also listed for sale on the Proud Patriots website, where it retails for $39.99 and claims to help customers "prepare for Trump's inevitable return to office."

The product listing for the bobblehead notes that Trump's current bid to reclaim the presidency in 2024 is "vital to restoring America back to the nation we all love so much."

According to one of the reviews on the company's website, the bobblehead "isn't very bobbly, and it's made in China."

Weapons (legal and illegal)

Many Trump voters are proudly pro-firearms, so it's perhaps little surprise that some of the ads served on Truth Social promote weaponry.

However, it's not just guns being promoted on the site. A New York-based writer at Gizmodo reported that they saw the switchblade advert shown here when using the platform, despite possession of such an item being illegal in NY (and other states). 

Non-tailored advertisements

This one isn't a brand-specific advert – instead, it's a type of advert that's seemingly quite common on the platform.

According to a New York Times analysis of Truth Social ads, most of the boosted posts on the social media site use "grotesque" images to promote alternative medicine or health-related conspiracy theories.

While ads such as this one, which claims that "Big Pharma [is] In Panic!," aren't exclusive to Truth Social, they're typically seen on sites with lower quality adverts that aren't tailored to a specific audience.

This could indicate that Trump's network has struggled to find reputable partners, something that The New York Times attributes to the platform's older user base, which is less attractive to advertisers. It's also potentially linked to Truth Social's comparative lack of analytics tools and the reluctance of many businesses to become associated with Trump's brand of politics.

Fraudulent ads (and unhappy Truthers)

This baffling sponsored post shows a fake Joe Biden tweet in which the POTUS appears to call on the Federal Reserve Bank to ban a $2 bill that features a portrait of Trump. (Needless to say, "your Trump $2 bill" wouldn't count as legal tender.)

Fraudulent ads seem to be common on the social network and even regular users of the platform, known as "Truthers," are getting fed up.

One exasperated Truther actually wrote to Trump via the platform, asking: "Can you not vet the ads on Truth? I've been scammed more than once."

Now discover the Donald Trump merchandise that has to be seen to be believed