On Friday, President Trump highlighted his Tiktok agreement, showcasing his admiration for China’s leader Xi Jinping and what he perceives as his impressive business sense.
However, the reality is, well, a bit messier.
The widely-used app, owned by a Chinese company, offers those short, engaging videos that people can’t seem to resist. It’s also a significant generator of revenue, and interestingly, it can navigate around laws that are currently placed in the U.S.
To ensure user data security, it’s actually been reported that a U.S. company would take ownership to prevent misuse as a potential espionage tool, a concern echoed throughout recent discussions.
Sounds beneficial, right? Not so fast.
Trump thrives on the “art of the deal,” and there are definitely aspects he seems keen to explore regarding business. Perhaps there’s a push for America to pull back from Asia or maybe some encouragement for Europe to step up on defense costs.
When tackling crucial issues, especially tariffs, he’s pretty adept at reading the room—knowing when to hold strong or let go. He’s made moves to reduce hefty taxes and has seen stocks rally.
Reports indicate Tiktok is negotiating significant fees to finalize the arrangement.
Yet, it’s challenging to discern if he fully grasps what’s at stake with Tiktok’s future and its ties to Xi. It seems he might be blinded by the deal rather than assessing the app’s real worth.
While Tiktok has an enormous following among younger Americans—around 170 million users—there are multiple compelling reasons to consider banning the app in the U.S.
Oddly enough, Trump had previously pointed out these concerns quite well.
During his first term, he viewed Tiktok as a tool of the Chinese Communist Party that didn’t just gather data but aimed to influence its users negatively.
Anti-Propaganda Concerns
Cute dance videos aside, the platform’s feeds can be filled with anti-American messages and troubling narratives. Some content has taken a dark turn, especially after events like the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
It’s also laden with rhetoric suggesting Israel, a democratic ally in the Middle East, aligns with an “axis of evil,” which has fueled hatred, especially after the tragic events of October 7th.
While Bytedance, the app’s Beijing-based owner, argues these worries are overstated, mounting evidence suggests otherwise.
Legislation has moved forward from both political parties aimed at banning apps unless they’re fully dissociated from Chinese ownership.
A lawsuit concerning this matter was struck down in the Supreme Court, which upheld the right of the state to protect itself from foreign threats like the CCP.
In this context, Trump’s recent comments seem contradictory. If you know him, you might sense he hasn’t focused on the app for years, yet there’s a casual acknowledgment of its value driven by short-term financial metrics.
Youth Engagement
As Trump campaigns for a comeback, he seems to believe Tiktok could sway young voters. It’s filled with content that leans pro-American, possibly hoping to encourage kids to support him.
I’ve heard murmurs that the young demographic will be more active voters in 2024, with Trump crediting much of this to Tiktok’s influence.
He’s reportedly hoping to leverage this for future elections but appears to be overlooking the broader implications.
Meanwhile, he claims Tiktok to be beneficial for the MAGA movement, notwithstanding the intricate ownership dynamics involving U.S. investors.
Investors are looking into a company valued at around $50 billion, that could eventually go public.
Sure, there’s potential for profit for a lot of investors.
But even if the company seems American on some levels, its core algorithm—essentially the lifeblood guiding user content—is still influenced by Chinese interests.
I’ve come across suggestions that Xi might allow Oracle to safeguard Tiktok’s user data but that hardly resolves the fundamental issues.
Despite any facade of change, it appears CCP influence and propaganda are likely to persist in shaping perceptions in America.
Ultimately, some things aren’t worth saving.
