What's happened
Former President Donald Trump's super PAC, Make America Great Again Inc., has joined TikTok, a platform Trump previously sought to ban. The PAC's account, @MAGA, has posted videos attacking President Joe Biden and independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. This move comes as Kennedy challenges Trump to a debate, claiming he is drawing voters from Trump's base. Meanwhile, Biden signed a law forcing TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest from the app, leading to a lawsuit from ByteDance against the US government.
Why it matters
The entry of Trump's super PAC into TikTok marks a significant shift in campaign strategies, especially given Trump's previous stance on banning the app. This move highlights the importance of social media in modern political campaigns and the ongoing battle for voter engagement. The involvement of TikTok, a platform with a large Gen Z user base, could influence younger voters and reshape campaign dynamics. Additionally, the legal battle between ByteDance and the US government over the app's ownership underscores the broader geopolitical tensions and concerns over data privacy and national security.
What the papers say
According to Chris Cameron of the New York Times, the move to TikTok by Trump's PAC is a strategic shift to engage millions of voters on the platform. Taylor Budowich, CEO of the PAC, emphasized the goal of delivering Trump's agenda to every corner of the internet. Axios' Jacob Knutson reports that Kennedy's challenge to Trump for a debate is based on his claim of drawing voters from Trump's base, highlighting the competitive nature of the upcoming election. The Independent notes the irony of Trump's PAC joining TikTok despite previous calls for the app to be banned, reflecting the evolving strategies in political campaigns.
How we got here
The backdrop to this story includes Trump's previous efforts to ban TikTok during his presidency, citing national security concerns over its Chinese ownership. In April 2024, President Biden signed a law requiring ByteDance to divest from TikTok or face a ban in the US, leading to a lawsuit from ByteDance. Meanwhile, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent presidential candidate, has been gaining traction, particularly among voters dissatisfied with both Biden and Trump. Kennedy's challenge to Trump for a debate at an upcoming Libertarian convention adds another layer to the political dynamics.
Common question
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Why has Trump's super PAC joined TikTok after previously seeking to ban the platform?
The entry of Trump's super PAC into TikTok marks a significant shift in campaign strategies, especially given Trump's previous stance on banning the app. This move highlights the importance of social media in modern political campaigns and the ongoing battle for voter engagement. The involvement of TikTok, a platform with a large Gen Z user base, could influence younger voters and reshape campaign dynamics. Additionally, the legal battle between ByteDance and the US government over the app's ownership underscores the broader geopolitical tensions and concerns over data privacy and national security.
More on these topics
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Donald John Trump is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
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Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is an American politician who is the 46th and current president of the United States. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 and represented Delaware in the United States Senate
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TikTok/Douyin is a Chinese video-sharing social networking service owned by ByteDance, a Beijing-based Internet technology company founded in 2012 by Zhang Yiming.
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In the United States, a political action committee is a 527 organization that pools campaign contributions from members and donates those funds to campaigns for or against candidates, ballot initiatives, or legislation.