Melania Trump to share 'exclusive communications' on Parler as part of special arrangement
Parler said on Wednesday (February 9) that it is collaborating with former first lady Melania Trump on a social media "special arrangement" in which she would publish exclusive messages on the platform. Parler also noted that it currently powers MelaniaTrump.com, which uses blockchain technology and nonfungible tokens. The app has been endorsed by her as she praised the social media platform saying it “empowers its users to foster productive discourse.” The former first lady added, “I am excited and inspired by free speech platforms that give direct communication to people worldwide. Parler has been on the forefront of utilizing Web3 technology and empowers its users to foster productive discourse.” It's not immediately clear if or how much she was compensated.
Parler is currently available on the Apple App Store as well as on Google Play Store. Parler's statement comes nearly a year after the social media platform resumed its service after being de-platformed by online services and app stores following the attack on the Capitol on Jan 6, 2021. The network was discovered hosting conversations about the Capitol revolt and it is widely used as a substitute for right-wing social media users who distrust traditional tech enterprises such as Facebook, Twitter, etc.
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Parler has an ambitious vision to use social media and blockchain technology to make freedom of expression, security, and privacy a reality. Over 16 million people have selected Parler as their social media platform. Parler bases its decisions on the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, which allows people to speak freely without fear of being suspended or deemed "dangerous" and banned. Parler, situated in Nashville, Tennessee, was founded in 2018 and has a global reach.
JUST ANNOUNCED: @MelaniaTrump to share exclusive communications on #Parler as she is “excited and inspired by free speech platforms that give direct communication to people worldwide.” Read the full statement... https://t.co/W3bcFU9tSx
— Parler (@parler_app) February 9, 2022
Following his social media replies in the aftermath of the Capitol insurgency, former President Trump's Facebook account was suspended and he was banned from Twitter. Trump and several Republicans have chastised digital giants for allegedly limiting conservative viewpoints. While the former first lady still has active Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts, and it's unknown whether her connection with Parler will have an impact on her use of any of the three sites. Melania, while not so vocal as her husband, is a well-known figure online, however, her posts often end up getting trolled for the content. Her recent Parler activity includes promoting her NFT venture and holding auctions on MelaniaTrump.com. In another post, she promoted an initiative aimed at improving access to education for foster children, which she called an offshoot of her White House-era 'Be Best' initiative.
Parler CEO George Farmer remarked about their arrangement with Melania in a statement, “In the time that Parler and Mrs. Trump have been working together, we have found a new level of productivity and engagement with both her, her team, and her brand. Parler is excited to take this step forward with her and continues to build out its product offering to support her professional evolution as one of the world's leading icons.”
