Donald Trump’s presidential victory on Tuesday night has apparently had no sobering effect on his penchant for urging law enforcement to take down his enemies.
On Thursday morning, the president-elect emphatically swore that he has no intention of selling off shares in his social media platform, Truth Social, and demanded that authorities investigate anyone who suggested otherwise.
“There are fake, untrue, and probably illegal rumors and/or statements made by, perhaps, market manipulators or short sellers, that I am interested in selling shares of Truth,” Trump wrote on the platform. “THOSE RUMORS OR STATEMENTS ARE FALSE. I HAVE NO INTENTION OF SELLING!”
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“I hereby request that the people who have set off these fake rumors or statements, and who may have done so in the past, be immediately investigated by the appropriate authorities,” he added. “Truth is an important part of our historic win, and I deeply believe in it. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
The platform, first launched in early 2022, had been a frequent source of Trump’s public-facing communication, from late-night rants to official statements, while he campaigned for president.
The post sent the stock price of Trump Media—Truth Social’s parent company—soaring up 10 percent. The sharp rise, after a week that saw the stock surge after Trump’s victory before crashing down 22 percent on Thursday, triggered a trading halt due to volatility.
Trump’s stake in the company is worth more than $3 billion.
Many critics of the president-elect have expressed serious concern about his frequent calls for the legal persecution of those who oppose him, including political rivals. The list of people he has vowed to have prosecuted as president includes Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and Liz Cheney—among many others.
While some have deemed Trump’s threats of revenge merely bluster, others worry he is serious about his intent to use the power of the executive branch for retribution against those who oppose him once he takes power in January.
