Trump Says He Won’t Sell Shares Tied to Truth Social

Former President Donald J. Trump said on Friday that he would not be selling any shares in his social media company when a measure that has prevented him from selling the stock lifts next week.

Mr. Trump’s comment prompted a surge in trading in shares of Trump Media & Technology Group, raising the stock price by nearly 12 percent. Mr. Trump’s remarks, at an afternoon news conference, ended weeks of speculation over whether he would try to cash in his 57 percent stake in the company, which owns his social media platform Truth Social.

“No, I am not selling,” Mr. Trump said. He said of Truth Social: “I love it. I use it as a method of getting out my word.”

A number of people on Truth Social quickly posted video clips of Mr. Trump’s remarks about the social media platform, which has emerged as his main online outlet for going after his critics. Mr. Trump is not an officer in the company but is Truth Social’s main attraction.

“I don’t want to sell my shares,” he said. “I don’t need money.”

A six-month lockup provision, which took effect after Trump Media made its Wall Street debut in March, has prevented Mr. Trump from selling his shares, or even posting his shares as collateral for a loan. That lockup is scheduled to end on Thursday.

Mr. Trump is Trump Media’s largest shareholder, owning some 115 million shares. His stake is worth about $2 billion on paper.