The White House made its debut on TikTok on Tuesday, launching an official account even as uncertainty surrounds the platform’s future in the United States under a Trump-imposed sale-or-ban deadline.
The administration’s first video on TikTok carried the caption: “America, we are BACK! What’s up TikTok?” The 27-second clip quickly drew attention, gathering about 4,500 followers within the first hour of posting.
TikTok, owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, remains at the center of a heated political debate in Washington over national security risks and foreign influence.
Trump’s mixed stance on tiktok
Under a law passed in 2023, TikTok was supposed to either sell to a non-Chinese buyer or face a ban in the US on national security grounds. The deadline was originally set for January 19, 2025 – just before Donald Trump’s inauguration.
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However, after reclaiming the presidency, Trump postponed the decision. In mid-June, he granted TikTok another 90 days to secure a buyer, with the new deadline expiring in mid-September.
Trump, once a vocal supporter of a ban, shifted course during his 2024 campaign after concluding that TikTok’s massive user base, particularly young voters, boosted his electoral chances.
Social media strategy in focus
TikTok is one of the world’s largest social media platforms, with nearly two billion global users. Trump himself boasts 110.1 million followers on TikTok, though his last post was on November 5, 2024 – Election Day.
By comparison, his X (formerly Twitter) account has 108.5 million followers, while his own platform, Truth Social, has 10.6 million.
The official White House accounts on other platforms hold more modest followings: 2.4 million on X and 9.3 million on Instagram.
What happens next?
The Biden administration’s move to open a TikTok account highlights how deeply embedded the app has become in American politics and digital communication. Yet, its long-term future in the US hinges on Trump’s decision when the September deadline arrives.
Until then, TikTok remains both a powerful political tool and a target of scrutiny.
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