In a surprising move, former US President and current White House hopeful, Donald Trump, has taken to TikTok, the very social media platform he once fiercely attempted to ban during his presidency.
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/02/us/video/trump-tiktok-first-post-digvid
With an eye on garnering support from younger demographics ahead of the November elections, Trump shared a brief 13-second video on Saturday night. The clip features Trump in his signature blue suit and red tie, attending a UFC event in Newark, New Jersey, amidst lively music.
Introduced by UFC CEO Dana White, Trump addresses the camera, saying, “It’s my honour,” and proceeds to greet attendees before concluding with, “That was a good walk-on, right?”
Despite his previous stance on the app, Trump swiftly gained two million followers on his @realDonaldTrump account by midday Sunday.
This move comes in the wake of President Joe Biden signing a bill in April aimed at potentially banning TikTok in the US if its Chinese owner, Bytedance, fails to secure a buyer within a year.
Concerns over data privacy have been raised by US officials regarding TikTok’s ties to the Chinese government, yet the Biden campaign has also joined the platform, reflecting its significant user base in the US.
Despite Trump’s previous attempts to ban TikTok on national security grounds, legal challenges and questions surrounding free speech ultimately thwarted his efforts.