White House launches TikTok account amid Trump’s extension of grace period from ban

The White House launched TikTok account this week, amid uncertainty about the popular video app’s future as a deadline approaches for its Chinese-owned parent company to sell to an American buyer or face a ban.

In the first video posted to the White House account late Tuesday, dramatic piano and percussion music serve as the soundtrack to images of President Trump meeting with people and greeting crowds.

“Every day I wake up determined to deliver a better life for the people all across this nation,” Mr. Trump says in the 27-second video. “I am your voice.”

Other videos feature clips of the White House and a collage of Mr. Trump’s most memorable responses to questions. The page descriptor reads, “Welcome to the Golden Age of America.”

Some critics have used the White House’s new account to show their disdain for Mr. Trump and his policies. The comments section is filled with anti-Trump remarks, memes and questions about why the White House would create the page in the first place.

“The Trump administration is committed to communicating the historic successes President Trump has delivered to the American people with as many audiences and platforms as possible,” said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. “President Trump’s message dominated TikTok during his presidential campaign, and we’re excited to build upon those successes and communicate in a way no other administration has before.”

The new account comes at a perilous time for TikTok, which has more than 150 million users in the U.S. Federal employees are banned from downloading the app on work devices because of fears China could use the app to collect personal data. ByteDance, a Chinese company, owns TikTok, prompting national security concerns.

ByteDance has insisted that users’ personal information is protected and that there are no national security concerns. It has also filed a lawsuit in U.S. federal courts to stop the ban, arguing it violates users’ First Amendment right to free speech.

Mr. Trump had once called TikTok a national security threat, but came to embrace it during last year’s presidential election. The Trump campaign used it to reach young voters, and the campaign’s account reached a following of more than 15 million.

William Akoto, a professor of foreign policy and global security at American University, cautioned against reading the new White House account as a tactical admission the app is here to stay.

“Even with the new account, the administration could still support restrictions or a ban if ByteDance is unable to make a deal to transfer ownership to an American firm. That said, given TikTok’s popularity, cultural entrenchment, I think an eventual ban is increasingly unlikely,” he said.

He said creating the TikTok account is a smart political move by the Trump administration because it will reach lots of eyeballs, especially among young voters.

“TikTok is one of the most popular platforms in the U.S. (and most other countries), and for any government reaching audiences where they make political sense,” Mr. Akoto said. 

Both former President Joseph R. Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris were also active on TikTok during the presidential campaign, even as security concerns about the app’s ownership mounted.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew attended Mr. Trump’s inauguration, along with other Big Tech executives.

Since returning to office, the Trump administration has been trying to strike a deal to spin off the app from ByteDance ahead of a September deadline to sell TikTok to a non-Chinese buyer or be banned in America.

Mr. Trump has extended the deadline multiple times. In June, he granted a 90-day extension to ByteDance, giving the company until mid-September to find an American buyer. That was the third extension under Mr. Trump for ByteDance to sell TikTok.

The repeated extensions prevent TikTok from going dark in the U.S. after Mr. Biden last year signed a law requiring the app be sold to a non-Chinese buyer.

Mr. Trump has repeatedly said this summer that he has buyers lined up for the social media app, but no potential deals have emerged and no one has stepped forward to announce their interest in purchasing TikTok.

In July, Mr. Trump told reporters on Air Force One that he “pretty much has a deal,” and discussions would take place within a week. In an interview with Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo, Mr. Trump said a wealthy group of buyers would step forward.

No one has stepped forward and the White House has been silent about a potential deal.

TikTok is one of the most popular smartphone applications in the U.S., with its audience largely comprised of users under 30.

During Mr. Trump’s first term, he issued an executive order aimed at banning TikTok. The order was challenged in court, but revoked by Mr. Biden in 2021 before it took effect.

In January, Mr. Trump used an executive order to halt Mr. Biden’s directive mandating ByteDance find an American buyer or sell the app. Despite the pause, the app did go offline in the U.S. for roughly 14 hours.