The political action committee backing former President Donald J. Trump, Make America Great Again Inc., joined TikTok on Wednesday under the handle @MAGA. This move comes as TikTok is in the midst of a political battle over its ownership by the Chinese corporation ByteDance. The PAC is independent of Trump’s presidential campaign, but they aim to deliver Trump’s pro-freedom and pro-America agenda to millions of voters on TikTok.
As of Wednesday evening, the @MAGA TikTok account has around 300 followers and has posted five videos, four attacking President Biden and one attacking Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent presidential candidate, as a “radical leftist.” President Biden signed a law in April that would force ByteDance to sell TikTok, which led to the company suing the federal government in an attempt to block the law. If ByteDance fails to sell the app within nine months, it could be banned in the United States, with a possible extension to a year by the president.
During his term, Mr. Trump also attempted to ban TikTok by demanding ByteDance divest the app in August 2020. A federal judge blocked this ban the following month, and Trump left office shortly after. When House Republicans introduced legislation to force the sale of the app, Trump opposed the move, citing the popularity of TikTok among young Americans. Despite not being on TikTok himself and preferring his social media site, Truth Social, Trump’s PAC aims to ensure his message reaches all corners of the internet and not be overshadowed by Biden’s campaign using the app.
Mr. Budowich, the CEO of the PAC, emphasized the importance of not ceding any platform to Biden and the Democrats. Trump’s message needs to reach every corner of the internet, including TikTok, which still operates in the United States for the time being. Trump acknowledges the popularity of TikTok among young Americans and wants to ensure his message is not ignored on this platform, even if he personally does not use it. The PAC aims to deliver Trump’s agenda and counter the narratives put forth by Biden and his campaign on TikTok.
