Crash Course: Trump's social media power play

Yes, Trump's finally starting that media empire he's always dreamed of. [Crash Course] Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgphaEJIcWGem6ubUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~). Written by [Brett Bachman](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0QhaHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9CcmV0dEFCYWNobWFuVwNzcGNCCmFoQkhxYZ6bq5tSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~). Trump is starting a social media company If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Former President Donald Trump is starting his own social media platform, which will apparently be called "TRUTH Social." In an announcement Wednesday night, Trump leaned heavily into culture war pablum to justify his decision, though many details of the venture remain unclear. Trump did, however, make it clear that his ongoing ban from Twitter — a favorite platform and key communication tool during his time in office — played a big part in his decision to create his own social network. "We live in a world where the Taliban has a huge presence on Twitter, yet your favorite American President has been silenced," he said in the statement. "Everyone asks me, why doesn't anyone stand up to Big Tech. Well, we will be soon!" TRUTH is currently available for pre-order on Apple's "App Store." A beta version will apparently go live live next month for "invited guests" before the platform goes live for the general public in 2022. You can [learn more about Trump's latest venture here](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0RwaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjAvaXMtc3RhcnRpbmctaGlzLW93bi1zb2NpYWwtbWVkaWEtY29tcGFueS1jYWxsZWQtdHJ1dGgtc29jaWFsLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphaEJIcWGem6ubUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~). (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images/Facebook/Twitter/Youtube) Republicans are ditching the GOP There's something happening in Oklahoma. As of Wednesday, at least two of the state's Republican candidates for governor have switched parties, with both of them citing the politicized GOP response to a still-rampaging COVID-19 pandemic. First, it was former Republican State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister — who said she announced her Democratic gubernatorial bid after current Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt botched the state's COVID-19 response by undermining vaccines and banning schools from instituting mask mandates, among other things. Then yesterday it was Dr. Ervin Yen, a former Republican state Senator who [decided to leave the Republican party behind](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0RnaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjAvd2h5LWEtc2Vjb25kLWhpZ2gtcHJvZmlsZS1pbi1va2xhaG9tYS1qdXN0LWxlZnQtdGhlLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphaEJIcWGem6ubUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) in his own bid for governor. Yen has been a vocal critic of the Stitt Administration for the same reasons as Hofmeister — and says he "vehemently disagrees" with the party's rejection of vaccines and masks, as well as its wholesale embrace of election conspiracies. "I vehemently disagree with these views and that is why I have withdrawn my Republican voter registration," Yen said. "I have not changed, the party has." - Joe Manchin says [rumors he plans to leave Democratic party are "bulls***"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0R4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjAvam9lLW1hbmNoaW4tc2F5cy1ydW1vcnMtaGUtcGxhbnMtdG8tbGVhdmUtZGVtb2NyYXRpYy1wYXJ0eS1hcmUtYnVsbHMvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmFoQkhxYZ6bq5tSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) - Anthony Michael Hall on [joining "Halloween Kills" & remembering John Hughes](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0ReaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjAvYW50aG9ueS1taWNoYWVsLWhhbGwtaGFsbG93ZWVuLXNhbG9uLXRhbGtzLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphaEJIcWGem6ubUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~): "I genuinely miss him" - Cheney's Jan. 6 plea to GOP [falls on deaf ears as Trump derides her](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0R4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjAvY2hlbmV5cy1qYW4tNi1wbGVhLXRvLWZhbGxzLW9uLWRlYWYtZWFycy1hcy1kZXJpZGVzLWhlci1hcy1zbXVnLWZvb2wvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmFoQkhxYZ6bq5tSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) as "smug fool" - Trump's New York golf club [faces criminal probe over potential tax dodging](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0R5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjAvbmV3LXlvcmstZ29sZi1jbHViLWZhY2VzLWNyaW1pbmFsLXByb2JlLW92ZXItcG90ZW50aWFsLWRvZGdpbmctcmVwb3J0Lz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphaEJIcWGem6ubUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) - Astronomers observe a distant solar system that [looks a lot like ours will after the sun explodes](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0SVaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjAvYXN0cm9ub21lcnMtb2JzZXJ2ZS1hLWRpc3RhbnQtc29sYXItc3lzdGVtLXRoYXQtbG9va3MtYS1sb3QtbGlrZS1vdXJzLXdpbGwtYWZ0ZXItdGhlLXN1bi1leHBsb2Rlcy8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYWhCSHFhnpurm1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) - Trump complains GOP ally [was indicted for “telling some lies” to the FBI](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0SEaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjAvaXMtdGhlcmUtbm8tanVzdGljZS1jb21wbGFpbnMtYWxseS13YXMtaW5kaWN0ZWQtZm9yLXRlbGxpbmctc29tZS1saWVzLXRvLXRoZS1mYmkvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmFoQkhxYZ6bq5tSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) - Ruby Rose claims CW "destroyed" Batwoman [with an abusive, unsafe work environment](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0RaaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjAvcnVieS1yb3NlLWJhdHdvbWFuLWFidXNpdmUtdW5zYWZlLXdvcmsvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmFoQkhxYZ6bq5tSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) - Paris Hilton [makes surprise Capitol Hill visit to decry the troubled teen industry](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjAvcGFyaXMtaGlsdG9uLWNhcGl0b2wtdGVlbi1jb25ncmVnYXRlLWNhcmUtZmFjaWxpdGllcy8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYWhCSHFhnpurm1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA): "It’s a basic human rights issue" - Why [madeleines are making a comeback in Paris](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0RpaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjAvd2h5LW1hZGVsZWluZXMtYXJlLW1ha2luZy1hLWNvbWViYWNrLWluLXBhcmlzX3BhcnRuZXIvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmFoQkhxYZ6bq5tSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) - Ivanka Trump's food aid pet project [was used for political gain, investigators find](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0SBaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjAvaXZhbmthLWFpZC1wZXQtcHJvamVjdC13YXMtdXNlZC1mb3ItcG9saXRpY2FsLWdhaW4taW52ZXN0aWdhdG9ycy1maW5kX3BhcnRuZXIvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmFoQkhxYZ6bq5tSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) - Las Vegas [just hosted a climate denier conference](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0SIaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjAvbGFzLXZlZ2FzLWp1c3QtaG9zdGVkLWEtY2xpbWF0ZS1kZW5pZXItY29uZmVyZW5jZS1hbmQtaXQtbWFrZXMtcGVyZmVjdC1zZW5zZV9wYXJ0bmVyLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphaEJIcWGem6ubUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) and it makes perfect sense - Meghan McCain [fumes over her "Princess of Arizona" SNL portrayal](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0SYaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjAvbWVnaGFuLW1jY2Fpbi1mdW1lcy1vdmVyLWhlci1wcmluY2Vzcy1vZi1hcml6b25hLXNubC1wb3J0cmF5YWwtbGF1Z2hpbmctc3RvY2stb2YtdGhlLWNvdW50cnlfcGFydG5lci8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYWhCSHFhnpurm1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA): "Laughing stock of the country" - Police reform by another name: COVID mandates [causing cops to complain — and quit](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0R9aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjAvcG9saWNlLXJlZm9ybS1ieS1hbm90aGVyLW5hbWUtbWFuZGF0ZXMtY2F1c2luZy1jb3BzLXRvLWNvbXBsYWluLS1hbmQtcXVpdC8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYWhCSHFhnpurm1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) - In [Netflix's "Found," three girls examine their identity as adoptees](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0RfaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjAvZm91bmQtbmV0ZmxpeC1hZG9wdGlvbi1jaGluYWEtYW1hbmRhLWxpcGl0ei8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYWhCSHFhnpurm1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA): "We continue to shed our skin" - And, finally, [how to dig out of your next salad rut](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0RZaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjAvaG93LXRvLWRpZy1vdXQtb2YteW91ci1uZXh0LXNhbGFkLXJ1dC8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYWhCSHFhnpurm1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) (plus, a panzanella recipe fit for a hearty lunch) Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgphaEJIcWGem6ubUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) to receive Crash Course. What do "centrists" want? Giving in to the wishes of Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema may be the only way for President Joe Biden to salvage what's left of his domestic agenda — but let's not kid ourselves and say that there's anything "moderate" or "centrist" about what the pair of recalcitrant lawmakers are doing right now, [Salon's Amanda Marcotte argues](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0SFaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjAvd2hhdC1kby10aGUtY2VudHJpc3RzLXdhbnQtY3V0dGluZy1iYWNrLWJpZGVucy1hZ2VuZGEtaXNudC1tb2RlcmF0ZS0taXRzLXJlY2tsZXNzLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphaEJIcWGem6ubUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~). "Their demands are short-sighted and often self-serving. They will only end up costing the country far more money, both in the short and long run, than would be spent if this bill were simply passed as-is. Biden's bill is about investing in climate, social, and health care infrastructure the country needs to prosper in the longer term. And without those investments, Americans are going to be facing serious problems that cost way more money to solve." (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images) - "‘Bones or no bones?’: How Noodle, a 13-year-old pug, became the Internet’s beloved oracle," [The Boston Globe](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0R5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYm9zdG9uZ2xvYmUuY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMTkvYXJ0cy9ib25lcy1vci1uby1ib25lcy1ob3ctbm9vZGxlLTEzLXllYXItb2xkLXB1Zy1iZWNhbWUtaW50ZXJuZXRzLWJlbG92ZWQtb3JhY2xlL1cDc3BjQgphaEJIcWGem6ubUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) - "Behind the Law Enforcement Response to the George Floyd Uprising – Pt 1: Munitions Delivery," [Unicorn Riot](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0R4aHR0cHM6Ly91bmljb3JucmlvdC5uaW5qYS8yMDIwL2JlaGluZC10aGUtbGF3LWVuZm9yY2VtZW50LXJlc3BvbnNlLXRvLXRoZS1nZW9yZ2UtZmxveWQtdXByaXNpbmctcHQtMS1tdW5pdGlvbnMtZGVsaXZlcnkvVwNzcGNCCmFoQkhxYZ6bq5tSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) - "All The News That’s Fit To Spin," [The Daily Poster](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0Q7aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGFpbHlwb3N0ZXIuY29tL2FsbC10aGUtbmV3cy10aGF0cy1maXQtdG8tc3Bpbi9XA3NwY0IKYWhCSHFhnpurm1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) - "Let’s remember the one Jackass stunt too stupid for MTV," [The A/V Club](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0SuaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYXZjbHViLmNvbS9sZXQtcy1yZW1lbWJlci10aGUtb25lLWphY2thc3Mtc3R1bnQtdG9vLXN0dXBpZC1mb3ItbXR2LTE4NDc4OTY3MzQ_dXRtX3NvdXJjZT10d2l0dGVyJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09U29jaWFsTWFya2V0aW5nJnV0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj1kbHZyaXQmdXRtX2NvbnRlbnQ9YXZjbHViVwNzcGNCCmFoQkhxYZ6bq5tSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) - "Everyone is reading too much into Virginia's race for governor," [The New Republic](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0SuaHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdyZXB1YmxpYy5jb20vYXJ0aWNsZS8xNjQwNjAveW91bmdraW4tbWNhdWxpZmZlLW1pZHRlcm0tZWxlY3Rpb25zLTIwMjI_dXRtX3Rlcm09QXV0b2ZlZWQmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPUVCX1ROUiZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPVNvY2lhbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPVR3aXR0ZXIjRWNob2JveD0xNjM0NzYyOTI3VwNzcGNCCmFoQkhxYZ6bq5tSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) Lauren Boebert mocks transgender admiral Lauren Boebert [was slammed as a "hateful bigot"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0SWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjAvbGF1cmVuLWJvZWJlcnQtc2xhbW1lZC1hcy1hLWhhdGVmdWwtYmlnb3QtYnktY29sbGVhZ3VlLWFmdGVyLW1vY2tpbmctZmlyc3QtdHJhbnMtZm91ci1zdGFyLWFkbWlyYWwvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmFoQkhxYZ6bq5tSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) by her colleague, Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia, after she mocked the swearing in of America's first transgender four-star military officer Wednesday. "Welcome to woke medicine, America," Boebert tweeted, posting a picture of Dr. Rachel Levine, who was sworn in this week as admiral of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC), a federal agency tasked with managing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and future health crises. Just an hour later, Beyer responded: "Dr. Levine is an accomplished pediatrician, a graduate of Harvard and Tulane, a former fellow at one of America's top teaching hospitals, a professor who created medical programs at Penn State to help young people, and PA's former Physician General." "You are just a hateful bigot," he added. (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images) Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Copyright © 2021 Crash Course, All rights reserved. Our mailing address: 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200 Wilmington, DE 19801 [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0RBaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPTM1NDM5NTJXA3NwY0IKYWhCSHFhnpurm1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjU81AP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgphaEJIcWGem6ubUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~)