The president had previously said he was looking to save the social media platform.

Summary

Donald Trump called TikTok “worthless” and suggested he might not intervene to lift its nationwide ban, which took effect on January 19 over national security concerns about its Chinese ownership.

Previously, Trump had pledged to save TikTok, citing its role in his campaign’s social media success, but his latest remarks hinted at demands for U.S. ownership of the platform.

House Speaker Mike Johnson supported the ban, citing fears of Chinese influence on TikTok’s algorithms.

  • Nightwingdragon@lemmy.worldEnglish
    43·
    16 hours ago

    This is leverage, nothing more. He has every intention of saving it. He’s just going to make sure that he gets his cut and assurances that any anti-Trump videos be scrubbed and any searches return no results. And he wants to make sure they continue to do what he wants, when he wants, and the way he wants by literally hanging a potential ban over their heads that he can sign into effect by EO at the stroke of his favorite sharpie.

    It is literally a Mafia protection racket on steroids.

    • RestrictedAccount@lemmy.world
      1·
      7 hours ago

      I disagree. Trump and Musk own competitors to TokTok.

      They are not going to hurt themselves in order to help a Chinese competitor.

      Also, they are now in the ones in charge AND the Chinese government is actually using TikTok to spy on THEM.

    • emax_gomax@lemmy.world
      82·
      15 hours ago

      The irony of trump saving it only to make it considerably more dangerous for American stability when it was originally banned because it was dangerous for no explained reason. A tiktok that caters to trump should be banned, but doing so is the only way not to be and well “corporations gonna corporate”.