Former President Donald Trump has joined TikTok, the rapidly growing social media platform with ties to China, despite his previous criticism of it while in office.
In his debut post on the app, aimed at its youthful user base, Trump shared a video from a recent Ultimate Fighting Championship event in Newark, New Jersey, featuring UFC CEO Dana White. Trump expressed his “honor” at joining TikTok, followed by footage of enthusiastic UFC fans.
The account, verified with a badge, currently has only one post. Trump’s super PAC, MAGA Inc., joined TikTok in May with a post from its CEO, Taylor Budowich, vowing to promote Trump’s “America First” agenda online.
Trump’s move to embrace TikTok marks a reversal from his previous stance. During his presidency, he raised concerns about the platform’s ties to China and sought to ban it in the US. President Joe Biden and lawmakers have also expressed concerns about TikTok’s Chinese ownership.
Despite the concerns, TikTok has defended its security measures, stating that there is no evidence of the Chinese government accessing US user data. Trump’s TikTok debut comes after his recent criminal conviction, signaling a shift in his approach to the platform.
As of Sunday morning, Trump’s TikTok account has over 650,000 followers, and his debut video has been viewed over 6 million times. Meanwhile, the Biden campaign maintains a presence on TikTok, despite supporting a potential ban on the app. TikTok has filed a legal challenge against the ban, with oral arguments scheduled for September.
