Former US President Donald Trump opposes a ban on TikTok, stating it would benefit Facebook. He criticizes Facebook and expresses concerns about the 2020 election and national security. Trump highlights the popularity of TikTok among young audiences and the potential harm of the proposed ban on free speech and American users.
In a recent CNBC TV interview, former US President
Donald Trump
expressed his views on the ongoing debate surrounding the Chinese-owned
social media
app
TikTok
. Trump — who is all set to run for president as a Republican candidate — has changed his stance as he now opposes a ban on TikTok.
“There’s a lot of good and there’s a lot of bad with TikTok," Trump stated on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” However, he emphasized that banning TikTok would inadvertently benefit
Meta
’s
platform. Trump believes that without TikTok, Facebook would grow even larger, a prospect he views with skepticism.
“I consider Facebook to be an enemy of the people,” Trump asserted. His criticism of Facebook aligns with his longstanding grievances against the social media giant, particularly in the aftermath of the 2020 election.
Trump further said that when it comes to elections Facebook “has been very bad for our country”. He also said that while TikTok does pose a threat, banning it will make Facebook even bigger.
“If China wants anything from TikTok, they will give it, so that’s a national security risk which goes up,” Trump acknowledged. “But when I look at it, I’m not looking to make Facebook double the size. And if you ban TikTok, Facebook and others — but mostly Facebook — will be a big beneficiary, and I think Facebook has been very busy.”
The TikTok ban has been a contentious issue, with concerns about national security and data privacy at the forefront. Despite acknowledging the app’s flaws, Trump recognises its popularity among users, especially young audiences.He expressed concern that banning TikTok would leave many without a platform they enjoy. “There are a lot of people on TikTok that love it. There are a lot of young kids on TikTok who will go crazy without it,” Trump said.
US lawmakers have been worried that the Chinese government could pressure ByteDance to hand over user data collected in the US, potentially posing a threat to national security. This concern isn't new. In 2020, the Trump administration threatened a similar ban, but legal challenges and negotiations with ByteDance stalled those efforts.
TikTok vehemently denies these accusations. The company emphasised data security measures and claims that user data is stored outside of China. The company argues the proposed ban stifles free speech and harms millions of American users and businesses who rely on the platform.
English (US) ·