\n<\/p>\n
Former President Donald Trump<\/strong> joined<\/a> TikTok Saturday night\u2014the same app he tried to ban<\/a>, unsuccessfully, via Executive Order in 2020.<\/p>\n Convicted in a New York court just last week on 34 felony counts for falsifying documents to cover up a hush money payment, the GOP presumptive nominee announced<\/a> his arrival to the video platform with a 13-second clip filmed at an Ultimate Fighting Championship event in Newark, NJ.<\/p>\n \u201cThe president is now on TikTok,\u201d UFC President Dana White<\/strong> opens up the video. \u201cIt\u2019s my honor,\u201d Trump replies before a montage of him meeting and posing with fans with Kid Rock\u2019s<\/strong> American Bad Ass in the background.<\/p>\n In under 24 hours since posting, Trump\u2019s official account has more than 2.1 million followers. The video has garnered over 36 million views, 82,000 comments, 116,000 saves, and 2.3 million likes.<\/p>\n \u201cI AM WITNESSING HISTORY,\u201d one commenter wrote with the prayer hands and crying emojis. \u201ci\u2019m so glad i get to vote for him. my first ever vote gonna be for the goat,\u201d another shared. \u201cLet make his account the most famous one on tik tok!\u201d a user, whose profile photo features the Three Percenters logo, a militia movement with a history<\/a> of criminal activity, commented. At least seven people associated with the Three Percenters were indicted for their involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.<\/p>\n President Joe Biden<\/strong> launched his campaign page on TikTok in February, @BidenHQ, which has 336.2 thousand followers and four and a half million likes\u2014in total.<\/p>\n Trump received a warm welcome at the UFC event<\/a> last night\u2014an organization he\u2019s had ties to for years. But at least one UFC fan, New York Jets quarterback and almost-vice presidential candidate for the independent ticket Aaron Rodgers<\/strong>, appeared<\/a> to snub the former president. While many clamored to shake Trump\u2019s hand as he walked by, Rodgers stayed in his seat and did not acknowledge his attendance.<\/p>\n In April, Congress passed a bill that would force a sale of TikTok by its Chinese owner, ByteDance, or outright ban the app, which hosts<\/a> about a third of U.S. adults. President Biden signed<\/a> it the next day.<\/p>\n As president, Trump attempted to get rid of the app, citing national security concerns. Yet, earlier in this campaign cycle, Trump flip-flopped<\/a> on the issue, blaming Biden for banning TikTok and claiming the president is \u201cdoing it to help his friends over at Facebook become richer and more dominant.\u201d<\/p>\n To soften what was a rough reaction to Biden\u2019s move from young voters, his administration has been courting<\/a> popular TikTok creators. During a visit to The White House earlier this year, Biden told a group of influencers \u201cDon\u2019t jump, I need you!\u201d<\/p>\n There\u2019s a lot of young people on TikTok\u2014around six in ten U.S. adults under 30\u2014and both presumptive 2024 candidates know this. Controversy over the app\u2019s potential ban has been at the center of this election cycle.<\/p>\n Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said<\/a> it will leave \u201cno front undefended\u201d in its efforts to reach younger voters. \u201cThis represents the continued outreach to a younger audience consuming pro-Trump and anti-Biden content.\u201d<\/p>\n While the majority of people who say they get their news from TikTok identify as Democrats or Democratic-leaning independents, the New York Times<\/em> reports<\/a> that since November, there have been nearly twice as many pro-Trump posts as pro-Biden ones on the platform.<\/p>\n Trump closed out his first official TikTok by leaning close to the camera, saying, \u201cThat was a good walk on, right?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n