Trump takes a U-Turn on TikTok amid potential US Ban

Trump U-Turn on TikTok: In a surprising move, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has expressed his support for TikTok, despite the potential for a US ban if its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, fails to divest its US assets. This stance marks a significant shift from his previous efforts to ban the app during his presidency.

"I'm for TikTok because you need competition. If you don’t have TikTok, you have Facebook and Instagram," Trump stated in an interview with Bloomberg BusinessWeek posted on Tuesday. This statement is a stark contrast to his earlier position when he labeled TikTok a national security threat, though he joined the platform last month. TikTok is currently used by 170 million Americans.

Trump has been critical of Meta Platforms-owned Facebook and Instagram for suspending his accounts for two years following the January 6, 2021, Capitol Hill riot. In a June interview, he asserted he would never support a TikTok ban.

A History of Opposition

During his presidency, Trump attempted to ban TikTok and Chinese-owned WeChat in 2020, citing national security concerns. However, these efforts were blocked by the courts. In June 2021, President Joe Biden rescinded Trump-era executive orders that aimed to ban both apps.

Trump's business interests also play a role in his evolving stance. He holds a majority stake in Trump Media and Technology Group (DJT.O), which operates the rival social network Truth Social. Despite having a market cap of $7 billion, Trump Media reports quarterly revenue of approximately $770,000, comparable to two US Starbucks shops.

Current Situation and Future Prospects

The future of TikTok remains uncertain. In September, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia will hear legal challenges to a new law requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok's US assets by January 19 or face a ban. This hearing will take place during the final stages of the 2024 presidential election.

President Biden signed the law on April 24, giving ByteDance a deadline of January 19 to sell TikTok or face a ban. The White House stresses the need to end Chinese-based ownership of the app on national security grounds but does not support a total ban on TikTok. Biden's campaign joined TikTok in February.

Concerns among US lawmakers about potential Chinese access to American data and espionage through the app drove the measure, which passed overwhelmingly in Congress in April, just weeks after its introduction.