In a remarkable political reversal that has stunned Washington, former US President Donald Trump has dramatically intervened in the escalating TikTok debate – publicly opposing a potential ban on the Chinese-owned platform he once sought to outlaw.
The extraordinary intervention came as Trump took to his Truth Social platform to voice fierce opposition to legislation that could see TikTok removed from American app stores unless its Beijing-based parent company ByteDance divests its ownership.
"This is what Facebook wants"
Trump's statement delivered a scathing assessment of the potential ban, framing it as a gift to Meta's Facebook, which he described as a primary beneficiary.
"If you get rid of TikTok, Facebook and Zuckerschmuck will double their business," Trump declared, using his characteristic nickname for Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. "I don't want Facebook, who cheated in the last Election, doing better. They are a true Enemy of the People!"
From Ban Champion to Defender
The position marks a complete reversal from Trump's own administration, which in 2020 attempted to ban TikTok through executive orders citing national security concerns over its Chinese ownership and data collection practices.
That effort was ultimately blocked by federal courts, but now Trump appears to have radically reconsidered his stance amid his ongoing feud with Facebook and other mainstream social media platforms.
Washington Reacts to Trump's Volte-Face
The surprising intervention comes as the House of Representatives prepares to vote on the bipartisan "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act" this week.
Political analysts suggest Trump's change of heart may be influenced by his meeting earlier this year with billionaire investor Jeff Yass, whose firm Susquehanna International Group holds a significant stake in ByteDance. Trump has denied this influenced his position.
The legislation faces an uncertain future in the Senate, where several prominent figures have expressed reservations about an outright ban on the platform used by approximately 170 million Americans.
