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Many tech leaders and tech companies have paid tribute to President-elect Donald J. Trump in recent weeks. From Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Mr. Trump at Mar-a-Lago, they complimented him on X and gave his savings.
But TikTok has taken these methods to the next level.
As the Chinese social media app fights a federal law banning it in the United States unless it is sold, it has publicly pointed to and then thanked Mr. Trump for his support in statements and videos since on Friday. His ad was even built into the app so his 170 million US users could see it:
“Thanks to President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the US!,” a pop-up message said on Sunday.
TikTok’s chief executive, Shou Chew, filmed a video thanking Mr Trump last week, and even referred to the president’s personal TikTok account. Visited Mr. Mr. Chew was also with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, and was invited to take a seat of honor at the podium at Mr. Trump’s inauguration on Monday.
TikTok “will do everything possible to please the authorities” if it faces this ban, said Anupam Chander, a professor of law and technology at Georgetown University and an expert on the global regulation of new technologies.
“TikTok is seeking the president’s favor in such a way because their presence in this country depends on him,” Mr. Chander said in an interview on Sunday. “He’s their lifeline and so he makes sure they stay on the right side.”
TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Mr. Trump may not be able to save the app for as long as he has said. He vowed on Sunday morning to issue an executive order to give ByteDance, the Chinese owner of TikTok, more time to make sales that would satisfy the law, but it was unclear whether he could extend the deadline now that the law takes effect. — or if he is. have a store in mind that meets the requirements of the law. Mr. Trump seems committed. Even before his post promising an executive order, he posted on social media platform Truth Social in all caps: “SAVE TIKTOK!”
The Biden administration also sought to clarify this weekend that TikTok did not need to be shut down on Sunday to satisfy the law, calling the decision to go dark a “move.”
“We have made our position clear and straightforward: action to implement this law will fall to the next administration,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
The support of Mr. Trump of TikTok. During his first term, he tried to ban the app in the country until ByteDance was sold to an American company.
But in March 2024, he reversed his position, when he met Jeff Yass, a billionaire investor and Republican megadonor who owns a large share of ByteDance. Mr. Trump said they did not discuss the company. Mr. Yass helped found the trading company Susquehanna International Group.
TikTok also sought a line for Republicans and the Trump campaign through Tony Sayegh, a former Treasury official in Mr. Trump’s administration. Mr. Sayegh, who leads public affairs for Susquehanna, was a key part of the Trump campaign’s decision to tap into TikTok this summer.
Mr. Trump was an instant hit on TikTok, where he now has more than 14 million followers. Several members of his family, including Donald Trump Jr. and grandson Kai Trump, also joined the app.
