Most Republicans Likely to Use Donald Trump's Social Media Platform: Poll

The majority of Republicans will use a social media platform launched by former President Donald Trump, according to polling.

Trump adviser Jason Miller said in an interview on Fox News' Media Buzz on Sunday the former commander-in-chief would return to social media through a site of his own in the coming months.

He suggested Trump will attract tens of millions of users.

YouGov polled 3,810 U.S. adults on Tuesday and asked: "How likely or unlikely would you be to use a new social media platform created by Donald Trump?"

Overall, 52 percent said very unlikely and 6 percent somewhat unlikely. A fifth, 20 percent, said very likely and 11 percent said somewhat likely.

Broken down by party affiliation though, most Republicans indicated they would use the platform.

Half, 50 percent, said they would be very likely to use the site and 19 percent said somewhat likely.

Democrats were on the whole averse to the idea of using the platform, with 71 percent very unlikely and 5 percent somewhat unlikely.

For independents, 57 percent were very unlikely and 6 percent somewhat unlikely.

Experts previously told Newsweek that while a Trump-owned platform could have benefits for him, it would unlikely replace the sort of influence he had through mainstream platforms such as Twitter and Facebook.

They suggested the self-launched platform would not be able to recreate the wider audience of those sites, which Trump has been banned from using. He faced bans following his comments surrounding the violence at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.

However, they suggested the new platform could give benefits in shoring up his base and in being able to share messages which could spread to other social sites.

Rasmus Nielsen, professor of political communication at the University of Oxford, told Newsweek the site could be effective in drawing in Trump's "most committed" supporters.

"Smaller platforms can be very effective for reaching the most committed supporters, who may be willing to join a platform or install an app simply because a politician they like is active there," Nielsen said.

However, Nielsen said contacting "less committed supporters" usually requires "reaching them on platforms they already use," adding: "So until some hypothetical point in the future where a Trump app has tens of millions of active users in the United States—which I don't believe will ever happen—there is zero chance it can replicate the impact he has had across Facebook and Twitter."

The pull over Republicans Trump might have to his platform comes as he looks to exert his continued influence over the party.

He has said he will support Republicans in 2022, though suggested he could back primary challengers more aligned with his politics.

Trump has also hinted at another run of his own in 2024, though has not solidly confirmed he will make such a bid for the GOP presidential candidacy. However, polling has indicated he would be a frontrunner should he choose to do so.

Newsweek has contacted the Office of the Former President for comment on the polling.