White House Joins TikTok Despite Ongoing Sale Dispute

The White House has launched an official TikTok account, even as President Donald Trump continues to allow the Chinese-owned platform to operate in the United States despite a federal law requiring its sale.

“America we are BACK! What’s up TikTok?” read the caption on the account’s debut post, a 27-second video shared on Tuesday. Within an hour, the page had already attracted about 4,500 followers.

Trump’s personal TikTok account remains significantly more popular, with 110.1 million followers, though he has not posted since November 5, 2024, Election Day.

TikTok, owned by China-based ByteDance, has faced persistent scrutiny in Washington over national security concerns. A law mandating its sale or a nationwide ban was due to take effect on January 19, a day before Trump’s inauguration. However, the president whose 2024 campaign relied heavily on digital platforms suspended the enforcement.

In mid-June, Trump granted TikTok a 90-day extension to secure a non-Chinese buyer, a deadline set to expire in mid-September. Although he previously backed a ban or forced divestment, Trump has since shifted stance, vowing to defend the app, which boasts nearly two billion global users. He has credited TikTok with helping him capture the youth vote in the last election.

On social media, Trump maintains 108.5 million followers on X (formerly Twitter), though his preferred platform is Truth Social, where he commands 10.6 million followers. By comparison, the official White House accounts count 2.4 million followers on X and 9.3 million on Instagram.