The White House officially joined TikTok this week, launching a verified account on the video-sharing platform even as uncertainty remains over its future in the United States.
Its first post – a short 27-second video captioned “America we are BACK! What’s up TikTok?” – quickly attracted attention, earning about 4,500 followers within an hour. In comparison, former President Donald Trump’s personal TikTok account remains far larger, with more than 110 million followers, though his last activity on the app was on November 5, 2024, the day of the presidential election.
TikTok played a significant role in Trump’s 2024 victory over Kamala Harris, with the Republican crediting the app for energizing young voters. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the new account is part of the administration’s commitment to reaching Americans across all platforms and showcasing Trump’s achievements.
The move comes despite a federal law mandating TikTok’s sale or a nationwide ban over security concerns. That law was meant to take effect just before Trump’s inauguration in January 2025, but he placed the ban on hold, citing his support for the app.
TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, has been in talks with the U.S. government over a possible restructuring deal. Still, Chinese regulations mean any agreement must also be approved in Beijing. Trump has already extended the deadline for TikTok three times, most recently in June, giving the company until mid-September to secure a non-Chinese buyer.
Controversy around TikTok is not new. The debate first took shape in 2020, when Trump raised alarms about potential national security risks linked to the app’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance. His administration pushed for a ban or forced sale, sparking years of political and legal battles that still shape discussions today.
Congress later voted overwhelmingly to enforce a ban, a decision upheld by the Supreme Court. Yet Trump reversed his stance after joining TikTok during his 2024 campaign, amassing millions of followers and even welcoming TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew to Mar-a-Lago and his inauguration.
Today, TikTok remains one of the most influential social platforms worldwide with nearly 2 billion users globally and 170 million in the U.S. While Trump continues to post on X (formerly Twitter) and Truth Social, TikTok’s influence among younger audiences appears to have reshaped both his digital strategy and Washington’s communications approach.
