President Joe Biden signed a law requiring ByteDance to either sell its stake in TikTok or face a potential ban in the United States, with the deadline for a resolution set for September 17. This situation raises questions about the future of TikTok in the country. Notably, former President Donald Trump, who had initially sought to ban TikTok in 2020, has not moved forward with his promise to negotiate a deal that would allow the app to operate legally in the U.S.
Despite these uncertainties, the Trump administration has created a TikTok account, @WhiteHouse, which recently shared a post highlighting Trump’s achievements. During the 2020 election cycle, Trump’s approach to TikTok evolved; his campaign recognized the platform’s significant supporter base, prompting the launch of an official campaign account, @TeamTrump, which quickly gained a substantial following. As reported, @TeamTrump accumulated 2.8 billion views on its content, surpassing the 2.2 billion views of a now-inactive account belonging to Vice President Kamala Harris.
A Republican digital strategist attributed the campaign’s success on TikTok to Trump’s background as a former reality TV star, noting that the use of the platform was more strategically savvy compared to Democratic efforts. As the ongoing discussions about the legality of a TikTok ban continue, it’s important to consider the current utility the Trump administration sees in maintaining a presence on the app. Trump has publicly expressed skepticism about the necessity of banning TikTok, noting the significant engagement his campaign account achieved. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that Trump’s messaging was particularly influential on TikTok, suggesting a commitment to innovative communication strategies moving forward.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/politics/762031/trump-white-house-tiktok-account