Enthusiasm to join Trump's Truth Social platform causes waitlists, registration delays

The enthusiasm to join former President Trump's new new social media platform – Truth Social – on its official launch day appears to have overwhelmed the site. 

The site went live Sunday night ahead of its official President's Day launch. However, potential users in roughly the past 24 hours have reported problem getting on the platform. 

"Due to massive demand, we have placed you on our waitlist," read the message received by several users, according to Reuters.

Other users reported having trouble registering for an account amid the early scramble to join.

Truth Social launched shortly before midnight ET in Apple's App Store and was the top free app in the U.S. on Monday morning, according to Apple's rankings. Trump's social media platform bested popular apps such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, streaming service HBO Max, and the children's game "Talking Ben the Dog."

As of late Monday morning, the app could be quickly downloaded from the Apple Store, but users attempting to join the platform were still getting error messages shortly before noon. 

Truth Social was automatically downloaded to Apple devices belonging to users who had pre-ordered the app. Some people had previously been invited to use the app during its test phase.

The debut of Truth Social marks Trump's return to social media after he was banned from several platforms – including Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube – following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Critics claimed he was inciting violence with his messages about protesting the outcome of the 2020 presidential election – claims Trump and his supporters refute.

Truth Social calls itself a champion of free speech and hopes to draw users who feel their views are being suppressed on other platforms. The venture, led by former Republican Rep. Devin Nunes, is a project of Trump Media & Technology Group.

"I think by the by the end of March we're going to be fully operational at least within the United States," Nunes said Sunday on Fox News.

The app, according to screenshots posted online and screenshots seen by Reuters, looks similar to Twitter in many ways. Instead of tweets and retweets, however, there are "truths" and "retruths."