While building Truth Social, Trump spoke with rivals about competing partnerships - CNBC

Months aft Donald Trump began gathering his societal media platform, Truth Social, helium considered jumping vessel and backing a competitor, according to an insider account.

Trump Media founders and erstwhile "Apprentice" contestants Andy Litinsky and Wes Moss archetypal met with Trump implicit burgers and crystal pick connected Jan. 26, 2021 — according to a regular log of dealings wrong the institution provided by laminitis and whistleblower Will Wilkerson — weeks aft Trump was banned from Twitter pursuing the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot. The gathering was referred to internally arsenic "the cheeseburger summit."

Litinsky and Moss officially partnered with Trump done their company, United Atlantic Ventures, successful February 2021 to physique Trump Media and Technology Group, the institution down Truth Social.

On June 11, 2021, however, Litinsky and Moss disquieted privately astir a imaginable "meltdown" arsenic Trump considered backing his erstwhile adjutant Jason Miller's Gettr app, CNBC has learned. As Trump weighed the Gettr offer, helium besides had a telephone with the right-wing societal level Parler, according to the interior log, which offered the ex-president a 12.5% stake.

Months aft the initiation of the Trump Media and Truth Social project, Trump met with Gettr. He was offered $5 cardinal a twelvemonth for his participation, and, according to Wilkerson's regular log, the Truth Social co-founders wondered if Trump would onslaught a "side deal."

The Washington Post archetypal reported Trump's conversations with Gettr Monday. Parler did not instantly respond to petition for comment.

At issue, according to Wilkerson's account, was whether Trump's nationalist statements would beryllium exclusive to the Truth platform.

Trump signed an statement with UAV dated Feb. 2, 2021 that dictated his and the Trump Organization's responsibilities to Trump Media and Technology Group and Truth Social. The statement besides granted Trump 90% of the company's shares.

Among these responsibilities included providing the intelligence spot rights to the Trump name, logos, marks images, photos, videos and likeness, a cardinal plus successful galore of Trump's concern dealings. As the institution looked to spell nationalist done the peculiar intent acquisition institution Digital World Acquisition Corp., interior documents look to amusement that founders disquieted astir their exclusivity with the Trump name.

According to interior emails, an alteration successful the SPAC statement attempted to alteration Donald Trump's "exclusive" licence to Trump Media's merchandise to a "non-exclusive" license.

Nelson Mullins lawyer John Haley, who advised the Trump Media SPAC deal, called the licensing statement a "fundamental gathering artifact for the [Trump Media Group] inaugural and platform," according to an August 2021 email obtained by CNBC.

Haley said the determination to a non-exclusive statement "essentially 'guts'" Trump's commitments to the level and leaves DWAC with an '"unbankable' inaugural that volition not survive."

Haley did not instantly instrumentality petition for remark from CNBC.

Wilkerson's regular log shows that, successful effect to the concerns, Moss and Litinsky met with Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and Trump Organization attorneys. The brace aboriginal held a telephone with Trump himself that discussed Jason Miller.

The log records aggregate delays — including 1 portion Don Jr. hunted pheasants successful England — earlier the last statement with DWAC was brought to Mar-a-Lago connected Oct. 20, 2021.

At Mar-a-Lago, the interior log says, "There was superior doubts that DJT would not sign, helium called Jason Miller astir Gettr, and grilled Andy astir the deal." Trump yet signed the agreement, which inactive has yet to beryllium consummated.

The statement makes Trump's posts disposable exclusively connected Truth Social for 8 hours earlier helium tin stock them elsewhere, according to The Washington Post. Elon Musk, who precocious acquired Twitter, has said helium would reinstate Trump's Twitter account. Trump, while lauding the acquisition, has said helium volition stay connected Truth Social.

Representatives from Trump Media and DWAC did not instantly respond to a petition for remark Monday.