The White House on Tuesday launched an official TikTok account despite U.S. lawmakers deciding the popular short-form video-sharing app owned by a Chinese company is a national security concern.
The launch, seemingly aimed at helping President Donald Trump reach wider and younger audiences, comes amid easing tensions with China and less than a month before a deadline requiring TikTok’s Chinese owner ByteDance Ltd. to sell the app or face a federal ban.
In April 2024, Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden signed a federal law requiring ByteDance to sell the U.S. version of TikTok or face a nationwide ban on national security grounds following its passage with bipartisan congressional support.
The ban was supposed to have taken effect in January, but Trump has repeatedly pushed back the deadline since taking office the same month, offering more time for the Chinese company to find a Washington-approved buyer.
In June, Trump signed an executive order for the most recent extension, which ends on Sept. 17.
