Trump, Vance return to TikTok after nearly yearlong hiatus


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Summary

Trump and Vance return

President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have reemerged on TikTok for the first time since November 2024.

Posts tout White House efforts

In return posts Monday, both the president and vice president touted efforts by the administration to preserve the social media platform in the United States.

American investment

The posts come as American investors work to secure a deal to purchase TikTok and as extended negotiations between China and the United States are ongoing.


Full story

President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance officially returned to TikTok on Monday, after a nearly year-long absence, marking their first posts on the platform since the 2024 election. The move comes as the administration works to finalize a deal to transfer TikTok to American ownership.

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Negotiations ongoing between US and China

In their comeback posts, both leaders touted the White House’s latest move to create a U.S.-owned version of the app. Trump last month issued an executive order extending negotiations with Beijing by 120 days, giving Washington more time to reach an agreement that would keep TikTok operating in the United States under American control.

‘I saved TikTok’

“To all those young people of TikTok, I saved TikTok, so you owe me big,” Trump said in his video announcing his return to the platform.

Vance echoed that message in his own post, saying, “Glad to be back on TikTok thanks to President Trump! Follow along here for more updates from the White House and maybe even some sombrero memes.”

His comment referenced a recent string of social media videos the administration has used to mock Democrats during the ongoing government shutdown.

From critic to champion

The reembrace of TikTok marks a striking shift for Trump, who, during his first term, sought to ban the app over national security concerns and signed an executive order to do so.

Since returning to office, he has reversed course, pausing that ban on Inauguration Day and pledging to secure U.S. ownership of the platform instead.

Who’s bidding for TikTok?

A group of American investors is working to finalize the purchase, which reportedly includes Lachlan Murdoch, Oracle’s Larry Ellison and Dell’s Michael Dell.

The return of Trump and Vance to TikTok signals that the administration views the platform not just as a pop-culture juggernaut, but also as a political communications tool that they now plan to fully leverage.

Mathew Grisham (Digital Producer) and Jake Larsen (Video Editor) contributed to this report.
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Why this story matters

The return of President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance to TikTok and efforts to transfer the platform to American ownership highlight shifting U.S. policy on technology and national security and signal new strategies in political communication.

Political communications

President Trump and Vice President Vance’s renewed presence on TikTok suggests the administration views the platform as an important tool for direct communication with the public and younger voters.

Policy reversal

The current administration’s shift from seeking to ban TikTok to securing its U.S. ownership marks a significant change in strategy regarding technology regulation and engagement from Trump's first term.

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Behind the numbers

The agreement values TikTok's U.S. operations at approximately $14 billion, as noted by multiple sources across perspectives. Analysts claim this valuation is lower than previous estimates, which had assessed TikTok's worth as “significantly more.”

Quote bank

"To all of those young people of TikTok, I saved TikTok, so you owe me big," President Donald Trump said in his TikTok video. Vice President JD Vance added, "I got a little lazy the last few months was focused on the job of being VP and not on TikTok."

SAN provides
Unbiased. Straight Facts.

Don’t just take our word for it.


Certified balanced reporting

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AllSides Certified Balanced May 2025

Transparent and credible

Awarded a perfect reliability rating from NewsGuard

100/100

Welcome back to trustworthy journalism.

Find out more

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