White House Joins TikTok With Trump Promo, Faces Fierce Backlash From Youth

The White House’s decision to join TikTok with a promotional push featuring Donald Trump has quickly stirred controversy. While the move may aim to connect with younger audiences, it has instead sparked significant backlash from youth on the platform. Many young users criticized the campaign as out of touch and politically charged, voicing their displeasure through comments and viral responses. The episode highlights the generational divide in digital engagement and political messaging.

The White House drew attention by unveiling its official TikTok presence under the handle @whitehouse, marking a significant step onto the rapidly expanding social platform. This move comes while TikTok’s future in the United States remains uncertain, as its parent company ByteDance faces mounting pressure to either sell its U.S. division or risk a nationwide ban.

The account’s debut featured a short video of President Donald Trump speaking directly to TikTok users, framing himself as the “voice of the American people” in an effort to establish a more personal bond with the platform’s younger audience. The caption read: “America we are BACK! What’s up TikTok?”

The second upload displayed imagery of the White House, while the third showcased controversial moments involving Trump. It highlighted strained exchanges with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Canadian leader Mark Carney, and Maine Governor Janet Mills. It also revisited Trump’s remarks about Senator Elizabeth Warren, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, and his comment during a Tesla event on the White House lawn that “everything’s computer” in a Model S Plaid. The post included a June 2025 Trump quote declaring, “I was the hunted, and now I’m the hunter.”

Within hours, the account amassed tens of thousands of followers, reflecting strong public curiosity about how the administration plans to use TikTok as a new avenue for political messaging.

Officials described the rollout as part of a larger effort to modernize public communication through digital platforms. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt noted that the initiative aims to highlight “historic successes President Trump has delivered to the American people.” By embracing TikTok, the administration sought to connect directly with citizens, especially younger generations accustomed to receiving information through short-form video.

Public reaction was swift. A widely liked comment by @jjackson5150 pointed out the contradiction, referencing Trump’s 2020 executive order that sought to ban TikTok as a national security threat. Another user, @amanda.c.e, praised California Governor Gavin Newsom as “the strongest governor in America,” while @yeah.by.usher bluntly remarked, “Trump is about to learn very quickly that TikTok hates him.”

Beyond the political banter and memes, many commenters demanded the administration disclose more information about Jeffrey Epstein. On Trump’s own platform, Truth Social, backlash was also evident, with users heavily ratioing his posts despite the site’s generally favorable audience. This negative response carried over more sharply to TikTok.

The timing of the launch adds further complexity. TikTok has long been under U.S. scrutiny over data privacy concerns and its connections to the Chinese government. A law passed in 2024 required ByteDance to divest its U.S. operations by January 19, 2025, or face prohibition. President Trump extended the deadline multiple times, with the latest cut-off set for September 17, 2025. Critics argue that embracing TikTok while its ownership status remains unresolved raises questions about government priorities and potential national security risks.

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Source: economictimes‍