The White House has officially launched a TikTok account, marking a new chapter in the Biden-era law and Trump-era enforcement battle over the Chinese-owned social media app’s future in the United States.
On Tuesday, the administration debuted its first post — a 27-second montage of former President Donald Trump meeting supporters, accompanied by audio from his 2016 Republican National Convention acceptance speech.
The caption read: “America we are BACK! What’s up TikTok?” The clip drew more than 90,000 views within an hour, highlighting the app’s reach despite looming uncertainty.
TikTok, owned by Beijing-based ByteDance, has faced years of scrutiny in Washington over national security concerns. Lawmakers from both parties warn that U.S. user data could be accessed by the Chinese government or that TikTok’s algorithm could be manipulated to advance China’s interests.
TikTok has denied the allegations, saying American user data is housed on U.S. servers and operates independently of Beijing.
Under legislation signed by former President Joe Biden, ByteDance was required to divest TikTok’s U.S. operations by January 19, 2025, or face a nationwide ban. However, Trump — who returned to office in 2025 — has repeatedly extended that deadline, most recently pushing it to September 17. It is unclear if another extension will follow.
The White House has signaled it wants to keep TikTok accessible while ensuring data protections.
In June, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration was “working to ensure this deal is closed so that the American people can continue to use TikTok with the assurance that their data is safe and secure.”
The platform’s uncertain future places the U.S. at a crossroads: a potential nationwide ban would reshape the digital landscape, while a successful divestment could keep TikTok embedded in American political, cultural, and economic life.
