A little-known British company has appeared to threaten Donald Trump with legal action after his foundling social media platform, Truth Social, launched with a logo that was almost identical to an existing design.
The Truth Social app became available on Apple’s online store on Sunday night and was almost immediately ridiculed for a logo that was not too dissimilar to that of a British start-up called Trailar.
Both logos use block-style shapes that form the letter “T” – making Truth Social a target of dozens of comparisons with the logo for the British firm, which sells solar panel technology.
Trailar tweeted on Monday: “Great to see Donald Trump supporting a growing sustainability business! Maybe ask next time? “ Members of the Trump family were also tagged.
The small British company added “@AldiUK (you) don’t happen to have the number for your legal team on you?”, in an apparent reference to the discount retailer’s uncannily familiar product names.
A Trailar spokesperson told The Independent earlier on Monday that it was made aware of the Truth Social logo and that it was “now seeking legal advice to understand next steps and options available to protect our brand.”
“TRAILAR has no affiliation or connection with the Truth Social network site, with our business firmly focused on decarbonising global transport through the use of solar and data driven technologies,” the company added.
The comparisons came not longer after Truth Social became available on Apple’s App Store on Sunday night, with demand reportedly high enough to see some users put on a waiting list.
“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA,” wrote one Twitter user who made the comparison between Truth Social and Trailar. “One of these is the icon for Trump’s ‘Truth Social’ site the other is the icon for a British ‘Fleet Telematics & Fuel Efficiency’ company that has used it since at least 2019”.
That came along with screenshots of both logos, allowing Twitter users to guess which belonged to the British tech firm and which was Truth Social.
Another tweeted: “Wonder how long it will take Trailar to sue Truth Social for trademark infringement?”
Many Twitter users also pointed out that Mr Trump’s new social media network appeared to have taken many elements from Twitter, who it aspires to rival.
The website permanently banned the former president in January 2021 for election disinformation and subsequent rioting on the US Capitol that followed his claims of election “fraud”.
“Wait until you see how Truth Social is just a straight-up ripoff of Twitter,” one user argued. “Nothing Trump does is original. Nothing,” another wrote.
Mr Trump was similarly ridiculed in the past after his administration unveiled a logo for the US Space Force, a new wing of the US military, that was similar to the logo used in the Star Trek series.
Truth Social has meanwhile been billed as an alternative to popular social media networks and a safe space for pro-Trump Republicans and Trump supporters.
Former Republican congressman Devin Nunes is in charge of the app and its parent company TRUTH Media. He has reportedly said the new social network will be “fully functional” in the US by March.
