The White House launched its official TikTok account on Tuesday, even as Donald Trump continues to permit China-owned platforms to operate in the US, despite legislation necessitating their sale.
The caption on the popular video-sharing app was featured in a 27-second clip, marking the inaugural post on the “America is Back! What’s wrong with TikTok?” account.
Within an hour of the video’s release, the account gathered around 4,500 followers. Meanwhile, Trump’s personal TikTok account boasts 15.1 million followers, though his last post dates back to November 5, 2024, Election Day.
Trump has expressed a fondness for popular apps and believes their influence helped secure his support among younger voters during his victory over Democratic opponent Kamala Harris in the November 2024 presidential election.
According to White House spokesperson Carolyn Leavitt, “The Trump administration is dedicated to showcasing the historic achievements that President Trump has delivered to Americans through as many platforms and viewers as possible,” when announcing the account’s launch.
A federal law mandating a ban on TikTok’s sale on national security grounds is set to take effect on January 20, the day before Trump’s inauguration.
However, the 2024 election campaign heavily relies on social media, and the Republican president, who advocates for TikTok, has opted against the suspension.
TikTok remains immensely popular, with 170 million users in the US. The platform’s parent company revealed in April that discussions with the US government regarding potential solutions for the app were ongoing. The contract “is subject to approval under Chinese law.”
In mid-June, Trump extended TikTok’s deadline for an additional 90 days, allowing for the identification of non-Chinese buyers, or facing a ban in the US for a third time.
This extension is expected to expire in mid-September.
Trump initially proposed the idea of banning TikTok in 2020, voicing concerns that China-owned apps posed a national security threat. The issue quickly garnered bipartisan support, leading Congress to overwhelmingly pass a vote to ban the app last year. The original deadline for the TikTok ban was set for January 19.
After joining the platform during his presidential campaign last year, Trump reversed his position on TikTok, amassing nearly 15 million followers and even hosting TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew at his Mar-a-Lago Estate in Florida, where Chew also attended Trump’s inauguration.
Trump has maintained his stance on the necessity of a ban or sale but pledged to support the platform after changing his viewpoint, believing it helped him gain traction with young voters during the November election.
While Trump’s official account on X (formerly Twitter) boasts 108.5 million followers, his preferred social media platform is the one he owns, Truth Social, where he has 10.6 million followers.
The official White House accounts on X and Instagram have 2.4 million and 9.3 million followers, respectively.
Dara Kerr contributed to this report
Source: www.theguardian.com
