News
November 08, 2025
Can Trump Turn TikTok MAGA?
After making the case that TikTok was a national-security threat, Trump did a 180 in the weeks leading up to his re-election. The president has since admitted that he would like to see the platform become “100 percent MAGA.”The post Can Trump Turn TikTok MAGA? appeared first on The American Prospect.
Donald Trump, once a staunch opponent of TikTok, appears to be softening his stance on the popular video-sharing platform, sparking questions about a potential shift in strategy and its implications for the app's future. This apparent change of heart comes after Trump previously championed efforts to ban TikTok in the United States, citing national security concerns related to its Chinese parent company, ByteDance.
During his presidency, Trump argued that TikTok posed a risk to American users' data and could be used by the Chinese government for espionage or propaganda. These concerns led to executive orders aimed at forcing ByteDance to divest its U.S. operations. However, those efforts faced legal challenges and ultimately stalled.
Now, after having left office, Trump seems to be considering a different approach. According to statements he has made, his new vision involves transforming TikTok into a pro-MAGA (Make America Great Again) platform. He reportedly wants to see TikTok become "100 percent MAGA," suggesting an ambition to influence the platform's content and potentially leverage its vast user base to promote his political agenda.
This potential shift raises several questions. How would Trump achieve such a transformation? Would it involve partnering with new owners if the app were to be sold? Or would it entail a more organic effort to encourage conservative voices and viewpoints on the platform?
The implications of a "MAGA-fied" TikTok are significant. Critics worry that it could further polarize the platform, creating an echo chamber of right-leaning perspectives and potentially suppressing dissenting voices. Others question the feasibility of such a transformation, given TikTok's diverse user base and its existing content ecosystem.
The future of TikTok in the United States remains uncertain, but Trump's evolving stance adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing debate. His desire to shape the platform's political landscape underscores the increasing importance of social media in contemporary politics and the efforts by various actors to control the narrative within these digital spaces. Whether Trump can successfully turn TikTok into a MAGA stronghold remains to be seen, but his intention to do so signals a new chapter in the ongoing saga of the app's relationship with American politics.
During his presidency, Trump argued that TikTok posed a risk to American users' data and could be used by the Chinese government for espionage or propaganda. These concerns led to executive orders aimed at forcing ByteDance to divest its U.S. operations. However, those efforts faced legal challenges and ultimately stalled.
Now, after having left office, Trump seems to be considering a different approach. According to statements he has made, his new vision involves transforming TikTok into a pro-MAGA (Make America Great Again) platform. He reportedly wants to see TikTok become "100 percent MAGA," suggesting an ambition to influence the platform's content and potentially leverage its vast user base to promote his political agenda.
This potential shift raises several questions. How would Trump achieve such a transformation? Would it involve partnering with new owners if the app were to be sold? Or would it entail a more organic effort to encourage conservative voices and viewpoints on the platform?
The implications of a "MAGA-fied" TikTok are significant. Critics worry that it could further polarize the platform, creating an echo chamber of right-leaning perspectives and potentially suppressing dissenting voices. Others question the feasibility of such a transformation, given TikTok's diverse user base and its existing content ecosystem.
The future of TikTok in the United States remains uncertain, but Trump's evolving stance adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing debate. His desire to shape the platform's political landscape underscores the increasing importance of social media in contemporary politics and the efforts by various actors to control the narrative within these digital spaces. Whether Trump can successfully turn TikTok into a MAGA stronghold remains to be seen, but his intention to do so signals a new chapter in the ongoing saga of the app's relationship with American politics.
Category:
Politics