The White House has launched an official TikTok account to promote the messages of President Donald Trump, Reuters reported on Tuesday.
The move aims to utilize the app's more than 150 million American users to communicate the administration’s policies.
Trump previously supported a TikTok ban during his first term as President, but later had a change of heart and pledged to “save TikTok” during his presidential campaign ahead of his second term.
Trump credits the popular social media platform with helping him secure support among young voters in his victory over Democrat Kamala Harris in the November 2024 presidential election.
The decision for the White House to join the platform comes despite past intelligence assessments that have warned the app’s Chinese owners could be influenced by their government to sway American public opinion.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, “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." She added, "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.”
Operating under the handle @whitehouse, the new account is dedicated to communicating the president's policies directly to the American public.
A law banning TikTok, enacted under former President Joe Biden during the final months of his term, required TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, to divest from the app within 270 days or face a ban in the US.
Since taking office, Trump has three times granted TikTok an extension to secure a non-Chinese buyer.