I’ve been ignoring Trump’s ‘personal’ messages. Ted Cruz and Don Jr. aren’t happy

Inspired mostly by curiosity, a couple of weeks ago I clicked on an invitation to join Donald Trump’s new social media app, called Truth Social.

It’s being promoted as a “Big Tent social media platform that encourages an open, free, and honest global conversation without discriminating against political ideology.”

I dutifully filled in all the blanks on the form — name, address, phone number, email — until I got to the part that asked me to click on the amount that I wanted to donate. The boxes started at $35 and went all the way up to $10,000. (According to the fine print, donations go to the National Republican Senatorial Committee.)

On account of my job, I don’t donate to politicians or political causes. Nor do I sign petitions. Some of the newspaper colleagues I’ve worked with over the years don’t even vote — at least not for the people they write about — because they believe that would compromise their ability to be objective in their reporting.

So, no, I wasn’t about to pay to join the inner circle of Truth Socializers — especially since it costs nothing to sign up for the waiting list for the app, which is expected to start up the first quarter of 2022.

I declined to enter a credit card number, closed the form, and naively figured that would be the end of it.

Boy was I wrong.

The Trump machine doesn’t give up; in fact, its performance is even more impressive than those telemarketers warning us that our Social Security number has been hacked. (Don’t believe that. It’s a scam.)

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been getting as many as seven texts per day — all on my personal phone — from team Trump.

Here’s a sample:

“WOW. Don’t ignore Trump’s PERSONAL message, Stephanie. We NEED you to step up to save our nation from Biden’s presidency.”

“Stephanie, don’t make us tell Trump you’re IGNORING his dinner invitation. There’s still time. Enter to win.”

“Why haven’t you taken the Election Year Poll? Are you becoming a Democrat?”

“Stephanie, you STILL didn’t sign Trump’s Christmas card!”

“Stephanie, have you ABANDONED Trump? Fix your reputation.”

“It’s Don Jr.: I told my father he could count on YOUR support to restore his Majority in 2022. Contribute here.”

“It’s Ted Cruz: We are just ONE SEAT away from taking back the GOP Majority.”

“Stephanie, we need 82 more responses from your area — take our election year poll HERE.

“CONGRATS! Stephanie we extended your chance to WIN a set of Melania Trump’s White House ornaments! Enter in the next 15 MIN.”

As you probably guessed, a donation was required in order to take the poll, sign Trump’s Christmas card or have a chance to win Melania’s ornaments, which, I’m told, are the EXACT ornaments that hung in the Trump White House.

But hey, I was able to gain access to an EXCLUSIVE video for TOP PATRIOTS.

It turned out to be a brief message from Trump himself, thanking his audience for their love, affection and respect and promising the GOP would take back the Senate, the House and the White House “sooner than you think.”

“The Republican Party is stronger than it’s ever been and it’s going to be a lot stronger than it is right now,” Trump says in the “exclusive” video.

That’s pretty much it. Not even a Merry Christmas or a Happy New Year. Just more posturing.

If this is a preview of Truth Social, so much for the promise of a Big Tent.

So much for encouraging open, free and honest conversation.

So much for welcoming people of “all political stripes” and “all different viewpoints.”

So sorry, Don Jr. You too, Ted.

Despite your persistence, I won’t be signing up for those holiday ornaments or for an opportunity to add my name to Trump’s Christmas card.

It’s been fun, but I’m going to have to break up. The next text message you send me, I’m replying with “STOP.”