What Could Trump’s Election Mean for TikTok’s Ban?
As TikTok faces the looming threat of a federal ban, a potential Trump victory in the 2024 presidential election could offer a lifeline for the embattled platform.
This marks a significant shift from Trump’s stance during his first presidency, when he led efforts to ban TikTok due to national security concerns, fearing that the Chinese government could access Americans’ data. However, during his 2024 campaign, Trump took a more supportive stance, urging voters to “SAVE TIKTOK IN AMERICA” via his platform Truth Social.
In April, President Biden signed a bill giving ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, until January 19, 2025, to sell the platform. If ByteDance fails to sell TikTok by that deadline, the platform will be banned. However, ByteDance could request a 90-day extension, which would place the decision in Trump’s hands if he were elected.
Trump’s earlier push to ban TikTok was partly driven by concerns over Chinese data security, a worry that still resonates with many legislators. However, now, Trump appears more focused on how banning TikTok could benefit Meta (Facebook), a company he has frequently criticized. He argued that without TikTok, Facebook could dominate the market even more, calling Facebook “a true enemy of the people.”
Another factor in Trump’s change of heart could be his ties to Jeff Yass, a prominent GOP donor who owns a 7% stake in ByteDance. Yass, who donated heavily to right-leaning PACs during this election cycle, may have influenced Trump’s new position.
While Trump’s election could be a victory for TikTok, the outcome is far from certain, and political promises often don’t materialize as expected.
As TikTok faces the looming threat of a federal ban, a potential Trump victory in the 2024 presidential election could offer a lifeline for the embattled platform. This marks a significant shift from Trump’s stance during his first presidency, when he led efforts to ban TikTok due to national security concerns, fearing that the Chinese…