The White House has launched a TikTok account, even as the app’s Chinese parent company faces a deadline next month to divest the social media platform.
The account debuted on Tuesday and is up to almost 122,000 followers. That is a fraction of the more than 15 million to Donald Trump‘s personal account, which he has credited with helping boost his 2024 presidential campaign.
“I am your voice,” Trump says in the initial video. Another post features compilations of Trump attacking figures ranging from Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and Maine Governor Janet Mills.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “The Trump administration is committed to communicating the historic successes President Trump has delivered to the American people with as many audiences and platforms as possible. President Trump’s message dominated TikTok during his presidential campaign, and we’re excited to build upon those successes and communicate in a way no other administration has before.”
Congress overwhelmingly passed a law last year that requires TikTok parent ByteDance to divest TikTok or face a ban on U.S. app stores. Multiple times, Trump has pushed back the deadline for such a sale, now to Sept. 17. Trump has said that he is working on a buyer for the app.
When the latest extension was announced in June, TikTok issued a statement that said, “We are grateful for President Trump’s leadership and support in ensuring that TikTok continues to be available for more than 170 million American users and 7.5 million U.S. businesses that rely on the platform as we continue to work with Vice President Vance’s Office.”