President-elect Donald Trump has indicated his support for allowing TikTok to continue operating in the United States, citing its pivotal role in his online campaign success.
Speaking before a crowd of conservative supporters at AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sunday, Trump revealed that his campaign garnered billions of views on the popular social media platform.
Trump's remarks came as one of the strongest signals yet that he is opposed to the potential exit of TikTok from the U.S. market, following ongoing concerns over national security.
In April, the U.S. Senate passed a law mandating TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest the app, which could lead to its effective ban in the country.
The law passed in the Senate was based on national security fears over TikTok’s ties to China, and the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case.
However, with no ruling yet, the app could face a shutdown in the United States as early as January 19, one day before Trump is inaugurated.
Trump, who is known for his strategic use of social media, shared his appreciation for TikTok, stating, "We went on TikTok, and we had a great response with billions of views, billions and billions of views."
He went on to describe a chart brought to him during the campaign, which showed TikTok’s impact, calling it "beautiful to see." Trump jokingly added, "Maybe we gotta keep this sucker around for a little while."
This sentiment aligns with his recent meeting with TikTok's CEO, where Trump expressed his "warm spot" for the platform, further highlighting its role in his digital outreach.
Despite Trump’s praise for TikTok, the Justice Department has consistently argued that the Chinese ownership of the app poses an ongoing national security threat. This view is widely shared across U.S. lawmakers, who remain concerned over the app's data privacy practices.
In response, TikTok has denied these allegations, asserting that its content recommendation engine and user data are stored in the United States, with moderation decisions made within the country.
