White House makes TikTok debut with Trump video amid looming ban

Highlights:

• White House launches official TikTok account with President Trump video
  
• Account gains thousands of followers within an hour of its debut
  
• Launch comes amid ongoing legal uncertainty over TikTok’s future in the US
  
• Deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a nationwide ban set to expire in mid-September
  

White House launches TikTok account

The White House has officially joined TikTok, launching an account on Tuesday to reach the platform’s massive American user base of more than 170 million.

The debut post on @whitehouse featured President Donald Trump declaring, “I am your voice,” with the caption: “America we are BACK! What’s up TikTok?” The video quickly attracted attention, drawing about 4,500 followers within the first hour.

Legal uncertainty over TikTok’s future

The move comes as TikTok faces continued scrutiny in the United States over national security concerns linked to its Chinese ownership. A federal law requiring the app’s sale to a non-Chinese buyer or a nationwide ban was originally set to take effect on January 20, the day before Trump’s inauguration.

President Trump, who relied heavily on social media during his 2024 campaign and has expressed support for TikTok, paused the ban shortly after taking office.

Deadlines extended

TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, confirmed in April that it was in talks with the US government to seek a resolution, adding that any agreement would be subject to approval under Chinese law.

In June, Trump extended the compliance deadline for the third time, granting TikTok an additional 90 days to secure a buyer. The extension runs until mid-September, when the app will once again face the possibility of a nationwide ban if no deal is reached.