[ad_1]
Recent Entrance of Ex-President Trump into TikTok
In an intriguing move, former U.S. President, Donald Trump, has recently associated himself with the trending social media platform TikTok. This comes shortly after his conviction on 34 counts relating to fraudulent business records in his New York hush money trial.
Ironically, Trump, in his term as a U.S. president, had tried to ban TikTok through an executive order in 2020, a move that ultimately failed. Now, he is part of the social media platform that he once sought to eradicate.
“We are leaving no stone unturned, this move is a continuation of reaching out to younger individuals consuming pro-Trump and anti-Biden content”, stated Steven Cheung, Trump’s campaign spokesperson.
In an unexpected turn of events, Trump has reversed his position on TikTok amid his third presidential run. He opposed a bill threatening to ban the app in the U.S unless its parent company based in China, ByteDance, divests its stake within a year.
The TikTok Controversy
The then President Biden signed the bill into law in April. ByteDance and TikTok filing a lawsuit could result in this legislation ending up in the U.S Supreme Court. The lawsuit argues that the bill violates the First Amendment rights of 170 million Americans who utilize the platform.
Interestingly, Trump opposed the TikTok divestiture bill despite House Speaker Mike Johnson and many of his allies in Congress pushing for its passage. Prior to the bill being signed by Biden, Trump blamed the potential TikTok ban on the president.
Trump accused Biden of favoring the rich and powerful in the tech world, particularly Facebook, while tacitly disobeying the law against the Republican Party.
Trump on Various Social Media Platforms
Several prominent social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, had earlier suspended Trump’s accounts due to his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. They have all since reinstated these accounts.
Understanding the Sudden Interest in TikTok
Despite his previous stance against TikTok, Trump now seems to acknowledge the platform’s immense popularity among young adults, who commonly use it as a primary source of information. The findings of a Pew Research survey conducted in the fall of 2023 align with Trump’s recognition, with approximately one-third of U.S. adults aged 18 to 29 regularly getting their news from TikTok.
Thomas Gift, the director of the Centre for U.S. Politics at University College London, has noted a considerable shift in Trump’s favor with younger voters. Trump’s team had been contemplating about joining TikTok for some time, despite its controversies.
Originating Factors Behind Trump’s Sudden Decision
Several of Trump’s allies, such as Kellyanne Conway, encouraged him to make the move. Conway, who was once a senior adviser for Trump during his administration, was hired by the conservative Club for Growth to lobby for TikTok in Congress. Additionally, the investment company of a significant financial backer of the group, billionaire Jeff Yass, also the biggest donor in this election cycle, owns a 15% stake in ByteDance.
Regardless of his reasoning, Trump’s entry into TikTok seems to have paid off. Despite his previous opposition, he and Yass have recently grown closer, even physically meeting in Florida a week prior to Trump’s public disapproval of the bill that could cause TikTok’s ban.
The Success of Trumps Move To TikTok
In numerical terms, Trump’s move to join TikTok has proved successful. As of early Thursday, his account had already gained over 5.7 million followers. His first TikTok video, which went live on Saturday, boasts over 93.4 million views.
Comparing Trumps And Biden’s Progress On TikTok
Although Biden’s 2024 campaign has been on TikTok for months and still utilizes it despite his signing of the divestiture bill, it hasn’t seen as much success as Trump’s. Biden’s account merely has just over 361,900 followers in comparison to Trump’s millions of followers, mainly because TikTok is more conducive to Trump’s brand.
The Change In Social Media Landscape: Trump’s Motivation
The changing state of affairs in social media has been a significant factor in Trump deciding to join TikTok. The platform has seen growing right-wing momentum, giving Trump yet another incentive to gain the high ground. A reported internal TikTok analysis suggests a surge of pro-Trump postings since November.
Could Trump’s Change of Head Cost Him Anything?
TikTok’s rise has met skepticism from U.S lawmakers given its association with China and the consequent privacy and security concerns. Depicting Trump’s shift from his previously strongly held stance against TikTok might seem like a double standard, but it’s politically innocuous given Biden’s presence on the platform as well. Besides, Trump-supporting Republicans, even those doubtful about TikTok, are unlikely to criticize his decision.
“Certain divisions exist within the Republican Party concerning TikTok,” said Gift. He stressed that ultimately Republicans comply with whatever Trump chooses, including TikTok.
[ad_2]
