The White House has launched an official TikTok account to promote President Donald Trump's messages, aiming to reach the app's large U.S. user base of over 170 million. The move comes as the Trump administration navigates a complex situation with the app, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance.
Political Context and Concerns
The launch of the account, @
whitehouse, follows Trump's previous success on the platform during his 2024 presidential campaign, where his account, @
Realdonaldtrump, amassed over 15 million followers. The administration's decision to embrace TikTok is framed as a commitment to reaching a wide audience.
However, this action has drawn criticism from some lawmakers who are concerned about national security. A 2024 law required ByteDance to sell its U.S. assets by January 19 of this year, or TikTok would face a ban. The law was enacted due to fears that U.S. user data could be accessed by the Chinese government, and that the app could be used to influence Americans.
Current Status of the TikTok Deal
Upon taking office for his second term on January 20, President Trump chose not to enforce the law. Instead, he has been working on a deal for U.S. investors to buy the app. He has extended the divestiture deadline multiple times, most recently to September 17. This has led to accusations from some lawmakers that his administration is ignoring the law and potential national security risks.