Fez – The White House has officially joined TikTok, with President Donald Trump appearing in the first post as his administration balances outreach to young voters with national security concerns. The account, @whitehouse, went live yesterday evening, featuring a video of Trump declaring, “I am your voice.”
The launch comes despite longstanding US concerns that TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, could share user data with Beijing.
President Trump has previously credited TikTok with boosting his popularity among younger Americans during the 2024 election, when he defeated Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. His personal campaign account, @realdonaldtrump, has amassed more than 15 million followers.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the new account would help highlight “historic successes” and allow the administration to communicate in “a way no other administration has before.”
Despite the app’s popularity, Washington lawmakers remain concerned about data security and Chinese influence. A 2024 law required TikTok to divest its US assets by January 2025 or face a ban. Trump, however, has repeatedly extended the deadline, now set for September 17, while seeking a deal for American investors to purchase the platform.
The delays have drawn criticism from lawmakers who accuse the administration of overlooking national security risks. Past intelligence assessments have warned that ByteDance could be compelled to cooperate with China’s government.
Trump’s embrace of the platform marks a striking reversal from earlier efforts under his first administration to ban TikTok outright. The president now uses it alongside his Truth Social account and occasional posts on X.
