Former Truth Social exec claims co-founder lost board seat for not giving shares to Melania Trump
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The co-founder of Trump’s Truth Social platform was fired after refusing the former president’s demands to give some of his stock to Melania, a former executive said.
Andy Litinsky believed he was fired from the board for not wanting to part with his own assets — and also claimed that Trump had said “several times” that he would “blow up the company” if his demands were not met.
According to whistleblower Will Wilkerson, Litinsky, the co-founder of Trump Media & Technology Group, sent an email in March containing the accusation.
Wilkerson was in charge of the company responsible for the Trump-themed social media platform Truth Social.
He was one of the first to work for TMTG, but fell out with the company after filing a whistleblower complaint with the Securities and Exchange Commission in August. Washington Post.
Andy Litinsky, the co-founder of Trump Media & Technology Group, sent an email in March making the accusation, according to Will Wilkerson, former senior VP of operations.
His complaint included emails from Litinsky — a former competitor to Trump’s NBC reality show The Apprentice — stating that Trump had spent two months demanding that he give the ex-First Lady stock.
The co-founder of former President Donald Trump’s Truth Social platform said he felt the former commander in chief was taking “retaliation” against him for not giving Melania stock in the company, according to a now fired whistleblower
In the emails shared by Wilkerson, Litinsky wrote: “As I have informed” [President Trump] several times I have earned that equity, and also ‘gifting’ equity to Melania Trump would be a taxable event that I can’t afford to pay the taxes for.”
He shared internal logs, memos, photos, videos he gave the SEC with the paper.
This interaction is reportedly one of many showing bitter power struggles between Trump’s media company.
Trump Media was originally going to go public after a merger with Digital World Acquisition Corp., but the company pushed for a vote to delay the merger.
The merger is also under investigation by the SEC, something TMTG claimed is preventing the deal from going through.
Wilkerson was fired Thursday after being suspended in early October for what TMTG called a “nondisclosure violation” after the SEC investigation into the company went public.
His complaint included emails from Litinsky — a former competitor to Trump’s NBC reality show The Apprentice — stating that Trump had spent two months demanding that he give the ex-First Lady stock.
In the emails shared by Wilkerson, Litinsky wrote: “As I have informed” [President Trump] I’ve earned that wealth several times, and also ‘gifting’ wealth to Melania Trump would be a taxable event that I can’t afford to pay the taxes for.”
He added that Trump has repeatedly told himself and John Haley, who represents the Trump Media and Technology Group in the merger, that he would “blow up the company” and Litinsky said he was seeking advice.
Litinsky, a former Apprentice participant, added that Trump has repeatedly told himself and John Haley, who represents the Trump Media and Technology Group in the merger, that he would “blow up the company” and Litinsky said he was seeking counsel.
Litinsky was reportedly removed from the Trump Media & Technology Group board just five months later
Will Wilkerson was in charge of the company responsible for the Trump-themed social media platform Truth Social. He was fired on Thursday
TMTG said in a statement that Congresswoman Devin Nunes had “created a culture of compliance and built a world-class team to lead Truth Social,” though they did not name Wilkerson or Litinsky or their claims.
Wilkerson said, “Trump didn’t care. He said, ‘Do what you have to do.’
Litinsky would have been removed from the Trump Media & Technology Group board just five months later.
A TMTG spokesperson said in a statement to the Washington Post: “The Washington Post has sent us an investigation rife with knowingly false and defamatory statements and other fabricated psychodramas.”
They added that President Trump and former Congresswoman Devin Nunes had “created a culture of compliance and built a world-class team to lead Truth Social,” though they did not name Wilkerson or Litinsky or their claims.
The Post alleges Wilkerson was fired by Trump’s company for making “unauthorized disclosures” to the newspaper, according to its lawyers, who allege these constitute unjustified retaliation against a whistleblower.
Lawyers for Wilkerson and spokespersons for both Trump Media & Technology Group and Digital World Acquisition Corp., the company that TMTG is seeking to disclose, did not respond to requests from DailyMail.com for comment.