2-6-2024 (NEW YORK) Former President Donald Trump has joined TikTok, the short-form video platform owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance – the very same company he attempted to ban during his tenure in the White House. This development comes as Trump prepares for another bid for the presidency in the upcoming 2024 US elections.
According to reports from Politico, Trump posted a launch video on his newly created TikTok account, @realdonaldtrump, on June 1st. The clip featured the former president greeting fans at an Ultimate Fighting Championship event in Newark, New Jersey.
By 4 pm Singapore time, Trump’s TikTok account had already amassed over 500,000 followers, a testament to his enduring popularity and the platform’s vast reach.
Ironically, ByteDance, the Beijing-based parent company of TikTok, is currently embroiled in a legal battle challenging a US law that took effect in April. The legislation demands that ByteDance divest its ownership of TikTok by January of next year or face a nationwide ban.
The White House has cited national security concerns as the driving force behind its push to end Chinese-based ownership of the app. However, their stance appears to be one of divestment rather than an outright ban on TikTok’s operations within the United States.
For its part, TikTok has vehemently denied allegations of data sharing with the Chinese government, asserting that it has implemented robust measures to safeguard the privacy of its users.
Trump’s previous attempt to ban TikTok in 2020, during his presidency, was ultimately thwarted by the courts. In a recent statement in March, he acknowledged the platform’s potential threat to national security but also acknowledged the potential backlash from young users and the risk of further emboldening Meta Platforms’ Facebook, a company he has frequently criticized.
Interestingly, President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign embraced TikTok earlier this year, joining the platform in February, signaling a recognition of its importance in modern political discourse and outreach efforts.
