Truth Social CEO Devin Nunes appears on QAnon show and praises the host for “getting the truth out”

Nunes said he discovered X22 Report because it’s popular on Rumble

Written by Alex Kaplan

Published

Devin Nunes, a former Republican congressman and the CEO of former President Donald Trump's social media platform Truth Social, appeared on a QAnon-supporting show to promote Trump’s platform and repeatedly lauded the show for “getting the truth out.” His appearance also demonstrated how Rumble can lead users to extreme content, as Nunes said the show’s popularity on the video-sharing platform caught his attention.

On April 14, Nunes appeared on QAnon show X22 Report, whose host is known only as “Dave.” Appearing in front of the Truth Social logo, Nunes bemoaned the “massive scandal” of federal investigations holding up the planned merger of the platform with Digital World Acquisition Corp. — the shell corporation formed to merge with the company running Truth Social — while also expressing gratitude that he had “access to media people” like the host who is “nice enough to have … me come on” to promote Truth Social. 

This isn’t the first time a figure related to the proposed Truth Social merger discussed it on a QAnon program; the then-CEO of Digital World Acquisition Corp. went on a QAnon show last fall to advocate for his own shareholders to delay the merger.

Nunes also used the opportunity to praise both Truth Social and the right-wing video-sharing platform Rumble for “blowing up the status quo,” and throughout the interview, Nunes repeatedly praised X22 Report. In one instance, Nunes told the host that when he started using Rumble he saw videos of the show and “every once in a while” would “click on and watch it” because there were “so many people that were watching.” Nunes added that he was “honored to be on” on the show and congratulated “Dave” on their success.

From the April 14, 2023, edition of X22 Report, streamed on Rumble

DEVIN NUNES (TRUTH SOCIAL CEO): Well, you know, it’s funny when, when you know, Rumble was first getting going and I joined Rumble and because, you know, I was getting screwed by YouTube. You know, after a while I started seeing this — what the hell is this X22? Because you had so many people that were watching your show. I mean, it was simply just amazing and I had no idea, you know, who you were, what you were talking about, that I just started, you know, every once in a while I’d click on and watch it. And it’s just amazing kind of what, you know, how Rumble and Truth Social are really changing, you know, kind of blowing up the status quo, and you’ve been — you know, you’re probably one of the best examples that’s out there of just somebody who kind of started out of nowhere and you kind of still do live in nowhere because nobody knows exactly where you live. But it’s just — congratulations on your success and it’s just fun to watch, and I know you have a great following, and I’m honored to be on here.

Later, Nunes revealed that he asked Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski about X22 Report and Pavlovski told him the show is “huge” and has a “massive following” on the platform. Nunes also continued his praise, claiming that the show is “getting the truth out” to “hundreds of thousands of people that are out there following” X22 Report, while arguing that it was “a big problem” that “a lot of the brand advertisers … won’t advertise with X22 Report or Breitbart or Truth Social or Rumble.”

From the April 14, 2023, edition of X22 Report, streamed on Rumble

DEVIN NUNES (TRUTH SOCIAL CEO): People want freedom and they will find it. And I think the best example is you and your listeners and viewers. And I say that because — I kind of told you at the beginning of this, at the beginning of this show here about, you know, how I found you. I just happened to see what — you know, I remember at night watching this, what the hell is this X22 Report? I just had never heard of it before. No offense, Dave. I just hadn’t heard of it. 

“DAVE” (HOST): No offense taken.

NUNES: And, I was like — and I was talking to Chris [Pavlovski], the CEO of Rumble, and I said, “What the hell is this?” He’s like, “Oh yeah. The guy is huge. He’s got this massive following.” And so then I just started kind of paying attention. Every once in a while, I’d watch your — watch your show. But what did it for me was — I was in a — I just got a car picked up from the airport. And this was, this was probably a couple of months ago. And, anyway, a guy recognized me, started chitchatting with me about Truth Social and about Rumble and I was like, “Oh yeah, what do you, you know, what are you” — you know, I always like to hear what people have to say, you know, who they, who they watch, who they follow. He’s like, “Oh yeah, man. It’s the only place” — the guy just — out of, he goes, “X22, that’s the — that's where I get my information. He’s the only guy that tells the truth.” 

“DAVE”: Wow.

NUNES: And I was like, “Wow.” I mean, that’s, you know, that’s some serious — you know, so you have, like, you’ve got hundreds of thousands of people that are out there following you and you’re getting the truth out and they’re coming to you because you know, because look, you’re just a guy who is evaluating the news and information and clearly people want to hear what you have to say.

…

I mean, the other thing they’re doing to the few — and sorry, I know you’re — we’re ending. But something that maybe you could cover in the future and that is one of the real risks here is that a lot of the brand advertisers, you know, they won’t advertise with X22 Report or Breitbart or Truth Social or Rumble. And that’s a big problem because — and it’s a big problem in the future because it shows — back to the SEC. The SEC is truly not out there protecting the American people because if they were, they’d be out there saying, well, wait a second. Why are you spending so much money advertising on, say, Twitter or Facebook or CNN? Because if you compared the numbers, you know, the returns have to be a lot better, in terms of click-through rates and people that would buy if they advertised on a whole host of conservative podcasters to videocasters to simulcast to a Truth Social, etc.

QAnon shows have reportedly ranked “among the most popular on” Rumble, which has featured them on the site’s “Battle Leaderboard Top 50,” and Rumble has been profiting from the shows as ads run alongside them. 

Nunes’ appearance on a major QAnon show is just the latest example of the numerous ties between Truth Social and the QAnon community. 

Trump himself has repeatedly amplified QAnon accounts and content on the platform, and Nunes and Kash Patel, a former Trump administration official and a member of the platform’s board of directors, repeatedly amplified a Truth Social account called “@Q.” Patel has also associated with and praised the QAnon community, saying that Truth Social tries “to incorporate” QAnon “into our overall messaging scheme to capture audiences.” (Patel has also gone on X22 Report multiple times and praised the show.) 

Other Truth Social employees reportedly “boosted QAnon-promoting accounts or shared original QAnon messages,” and one employee dedicated an episode of their podcast to promoting QAnon. Truth Social also has featured QAnon ads and has verified QAnon influencers.