U.S. President Donald Trump’s social media corporation, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), which he is the largest shareholder of, has reportedly formed a global streaming partnership with the conservative cable news channel Newsmax. Newsmax is classified as a prominent pro-Trump outlet.
On the 8th, according to the Washington Post (WP), Newsmax officially announced the conclusion of a streaming partnership with TMGT at the end of last month and stated that it has entered beta testing for content transmission. Accordingly, Newsmax's content will be provided to global viewers through the streaming platform 'Truth+' operated by TMGT.
Devin Nunes, the CEO of TMGT and a former Republican congressman, noted, "This partnership will serve as a foothold to counter the woke news monopoly," emphasizing that, "We will strive for unbiased reporting." Chris Ruddy, CEO of Newsmax, also suggested that, "The global expansion of Truth Social is thanks to Nunes’ leadership," implying a strengthening of cooperation.
President Trump has vigorously criticized mainstream media that has been critical of him. Recently, he sued Paramount, the parent company of the channel, stating that CBS's news program '60 Minutes' was "maliciously edited," reaching a settlement of $16 million (approximately 22 billion won). In December, he engaged in a similar legal dispute with Disney, which owns ABC News.
In contrast, the closeness with pro-government media is gradually increasing. In May, the U.S. government-run radio station Voice of America (VOA) announced a content supply partnership with the far-right news channel One America News (OAN), stating that it would transmit content to regions like Cuba. OAN agreed to provide news and videos free of charge, and the U.S. government explained that this was a decision aimed at cost-saving.
However, regarding the recent contract, political circles and the media have stated that the president's public role and private interests have come into direct conflict. Matt Gertz, the senior researcher at the progressive news watchdog Media Matters, warned that "It is a clear conflict of interest for a corporation in which the president holds equity to directly partner with a media outlet that reports on him," indicating that the independence and credibility of Newsmax's reporting could be undermined.
In fact, Newsmax is highlighting its relationship with President Trump and reaping the benefits of a stock surge. In April, Newsmax's Ruddy posted a photo of himself speaking with President Trump on X (formerly Twitter) ahead of the company’s listing on the New York Stock Exchange, leaving the message, "A rising Trump lifts all boats," and successfully completed its initial public offering (IPO). Following the announcement of this partnership, Newsmax’s stock price rose by over 9% within two days, reaching $15.88, while TMGT's stock also showed an upward trend of about 2% during the same period.
Meanwhile, while Truth Social has significantly fewer monthly users compared to other social media platforms like X and Facebook, it is solidifying its position as a key communication channel for President Trump. Since his departure in January 2021, Trump has posted over 2,200 posts on Truth Social, which is more than three times the number of posts he made on Twitter (now X) during his first term.