TikTok may yet be saved, Trump says it has a ‘warm spot’ in his heart
President-elect Donald Trump was asked about his thoughts on TikTok on Monday, saying he would have to take a look at the ban that could go into effect next month.
Lawmakers were able to pass a bipartisan bill earlier this year that will see TikTok banned unless its parent company, Byta Dance, sold the social media platform to a US-based company.
The legislation came as officials worried about foreign manipulation through the platform, specifically China, as Byte Dance is based out of the country.
When asked about the pending ban, which was upheld by the courts this month despite TikTok’s legal challenge of the bill, Trump said that he would assess the situation.
“We’ll take a look at TikTok,” Trump said.
Offering insight into his feelings on TikTok, Trump said that the platform meant something to him, being that it may have contributed to his 2024 presidential victory.
“You know I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok because I won youth by 34 points,” Trump said, adding that, “there are those that say TikTok had something to do with that.”
Trump added that he also thinks he did well with younger voters because of his engagement with nontraditional forms of media, like podcasts, and with influencers, who he said he was made aware of because of his son, Barron Trump.
“Now Joe Rogan did, and some of the other people that were recommended by my son Barron,” Trump said.
“He knew names. I said, ‘Who is that? Tell me who is that,’” Trump said he would ask his son. He then said Barron Trump would respond, “‘Dad, you gotta be kidding. I can’t believe you don’t know.’”
While it remains unclear how Trump could stop the legislation, potentially by directing the Justice Department not to enforce the law, he hinted that TikTok may not be at the end of the road.
“I have a little bit of a warm spot in my heart” for TikTok, Trump said.
