White House Joins TikTok As Trump's Deadline To Ban App Looms

The White House launched its own TikTok account on August 19. The launch of the new account comes at a time when the US administration has repeatedly postponed enforcing a law that would either compel a sale of the Chinese-owned app or ban it entirely in the United States.

The first video on the new account features a montage of Trump and other officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Reuters that the administration is "committed to communicating the historic successes President Trump has delivered to the American people with as many audiences and platforms as possible."

This move represents a change from Trump's first term, when he attempted to ban the app over national security concerns. The current administration is embracing TikTok, with Trump crediting the platform for helping him connect with younger voters. Although Congress passed a law during the Biden administration forcing a sale of TikTok's US operations, Trump has repeatedly delayed its implementation to broker a deal. He recently said a sale, led by a group of wealthy US investors, is contingent on approval from China.

It is unclear how the White House will comply with a separate law banning TikTok on government devices. The Biden administration also banned the app on official phones, although Biden's campaign used a staffer's personal device for their account.