Good morning. Donald Trump and his supporters are using social media in a targeted but influential way. More on that below, along with an introduction to Canada’s fentanyl czar and updates on the Alberta Health Services review.
Today’s headlines
- An audit has found that ArriveCan contractors failed to meet the terms of the Indigenous procurement program
- Premiers arrive in Washington in a bid to prevent punishing tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump
- The United Nations agency UNRWA is struggling to stay alive in Gaza as the Hamas-Israel ceasefire seems on the verge of collapsing
Illustration by Photo illustration The Globe and Mail
Social media
A guide to Trumpism’s online universe
Hello, I’m Samantha Edwards, the Globe’s online culture reporter. I write about the internet and how it intersects, influences and drives what happens in the real world. And in 2025, there’s perhaps no greater example of the internet’s power to shape society than the niche online landscape for which Donald Trump is the patron saint – and where fringe ideas are bleeding into the mainstream.
I recently wrote about Trumpism’s online universe, diving into the alt-tech social media platforms where the President, right-leaning influencers and millions of everyday MAGA supporters now congregate.
Trumpiverse?
Many right-leaning social media users flocked to platforms like Truth Social (a text-based platform similar to X) and Rumble (a YouTube alternative favoured by right-wing communities) after Trump was banned from the mainstream social media sites for praising Jan. 6 rioters.
When other accounts touted conspiracy theories or allegations of election fraud, they were similarly banned and subsequently decamped to other platforms, too. These platforms are proudly anti-censorship and promise an ethos of free speech, which means that videos and posts peddling misinformation, conspiracy theories and racism are mostly permitted to run amok.
Where this story starts
I began thinking more about this parallel universe on election night, when, during a victory speech, Dana White, the head of the UFC and long-time Trump ally, name-checked a few of the influencers credited for helping Trump get re-elected: “I want to thank the Nelk Boys, Adin Ross, Theo Von, Bussin’ With The Boys. And last but not least, the mighty and powerful Joe Rogan.”
Adin Ross, in particular, caught my attention: He’s a creator on Kick – a live-streaming platform designed as a competitor to Twitch, but with much looser community guidelines – who streamed with Trump during the election campaign. By numbers alone, Ross isn’t a massive streamer – he has 1.5 million followers on Kick and the platform itself has only around 12.45 million monthly users.
So while the average American likely has never heard of Ross or Kick, the Trump campaign saw its potential to reach potential voters – in this case, young men who are disengaged from politics and traditional media.
Where the story is going
Social media is becoming more fragmented, where users choose platforms that align with their political ideologies. As an example, just look at the mass exodus of users from X, who had grown fed up with Elon Musk’s support of Trump.
While these fissures may feel new, one of the experts I interviewed, Shannon McGregor, an associate professor of journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said it’s similar to what we’ve seen in other forms of media.
“It’s not that different from what we saw in news media with cable news or online news websites,” she said, pointing to networks like Fox News or MSNBC. “This is a pattern we’ve seen with other media in the last 40 years. As new technologies arise, they end up in this fragmented space.”
Let’s break it down
Some platforms favoured by Trump and his acolytes
Truth Social
This X-like platform is Trump’s preferred destination for sharing his latest executive orders, new policies and unvarnished opinions. It’s where he airs his grievances and praises his allies. Of the conservative X rivals that have emerged in recent years – Parler, Gab and Gettr – Truth Social is the front-runner, largely because of its proximity to the President. Plus, he has a financial interest in its success. Mr. Trump owns roughly 58 per cent of the app’s parent company, Trump Media & Technology Group.
Sample page from RumbleSupplied
Rumble
The video hosting platform Rumble has been around since 2013. But it became a haven for YouTube rejects who had been kicked off, or de-monetized on, the platform for violating its community rules. It counts prominent conservatives Peter Thiel, Vivek Ramaswamy and JD Vance as investors and has inked exclusive deals for shows from Donald Trump Jr., former Fox News host and Trump advisor Kimberly Guilfoyle and British comedian-turned-wellness conspiracy theorist Russell Brand.
Sample livestream from KickSupplied
Kick
Kick was launched in 2022 by Stake, a gambling company, which positioned it in direct competition with Twitch, the video game live-streaming platform. After Trump’s appearance on Kick, one of the experts I spoke with, Nathan Grayson, a journalist who covers streaming, said it’s likely other Republican candidates could also seek out exposure on live streams in the future. In fact, earlier this month, Vivek Ramaswamy streamed with Ross for a wide-ranging conversation that covered everything from deporting migrants to Luigi Mangione to censorship on social media.
The Shot
‘You can’t be upset with them because they’re just so cute.’
Bedlington Terrier dogs look on after a competition during the 149th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City.Andres Kudacki/Getty Images
At the Westminster Kennel Club show, thousands of dogs and hundreds of breeds compete for the crown. But regardless which dog gets the trophy they have all scored points with the crowd.
The Wrap
What else we’re following
At home: Alberta’s Health Minister says that an external party will review its procurement and contracting practices for private surgical facilities.
Abroad: A Canadian online teaching program for students in conflict areas has helped educate more than 50,000 Ukrainian children since its launch.
On side: Former RCMP deputy commissioner Kevin Brosseau has been appointed as Canada’s fentanyl czar.
Offline: Shopify has removed Kanye West’s online store selling swastika T-shirts after facing criticism for its silence on the matter.