White House joins TikTok to boost Trump’s message

WASHINGTON: The White House has officially launched its own TikTok account, tapping into the platform’s vast audience of more than 170 million U.S. users to amplify President Donald Trump’s message.

The account, @whitehouse, went live Tuesday evening with an opening video featuring clips of Trump declaring, “I am your voice.”

The post was captioned: “America we are BACK! What’s up TikTok?”

President Trump has long embraced the app, crediting it with helping him connect with younger voters during the 2024 election campaign, when he defeated Democrat Kamala Harris.

His personal campaign account, @realdonaldtrump, currently has more than 15 million followers.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the move reflects the administration’s strategy to maximize outreach. “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,” she said.

However, the launch comes against a backdrop of controversy. U.S. lawmakers have repeatedly raised concerns over TikTok’s Chinese ownership and potential data-sharing with Beijing.

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Intelligence assessments in the past have warned that ByteDance, the app’s parent company, is subject to Chinese government influence.

A 2024 law required TikTok to cease operating in the United States by January 19, 2025, unless ByteDance sold its American assets or showed progress toward divestment.

Since taking office for his second term, Trump has repeatedly extended the deadline, now set for September 17.

Despite security concerns, the administration views TikTok as a crucial platform to reach Americans. Trump continues to rely heavily on his Truth Social account, while also maintaining presences on X and now TikTok.