Donald Trump U-turns on TikTok stance ahead of US ban

Former President of the United States (POTUS) Donald Trump has reversed his stance that TikTok was a “threat” since joining the application last month.

The previous POTUS is desperate to spread the word of his emerging political campaign on as many social media channels as possible. Over 170 million Americans use the video snippet app, and Trump’s social media platform, Trump Social, has been battered across a financially grueling year for the company.

Trump backtracks on TikTok stance

Trump’s joining TikTok is a bid to win the hearts and minds of younger voters, but it shows a complete backtracking from him after he was less than supportive of the app.

The former world leader also tried to ban TikTok and Chinese-owned WeChat in 2020 when he was in power. He was unsuccessful then and now hopes to use the app as a platform to garner votes.

He told Bloomberg News, “I’m for TikTok because you need competition. If you don’t have TikTok, you have Facebook and Instagram.”

What is even more interesting is that the former President is joining at a time when a ban on TikTok is looming.

ByteDance was told to sell the company to a U.S.-based company or divest as part of a drawn-out investigation into the security threats the app posed to Americans.

ByteDance has until January 19, 2025, to make the decision, but it has also pursued its own legal arguments against the current government stance.

In September of this year, ByteDance can give oral arguments against the ban after the U.S. Court of Appeals fast-tracked the court case.

Those earning a living off TikTok have also sued the U.S. government over the ban, citing the financial and expressive impacts. Those taking part in the case come from varied backgrounds, including a North Dakota college coach, a Mississippi hip-hop artist, a Marine veteran, a recent college graduate who advocates for the survivors of sexual assault, and a person giving parenting advice while baking.

Image: Pixlr.