In a surprising move, former President Donald Trump has made his debut on TikTok, quickly amassing a significant following within hours of joining the platform.
Trump’s inaugural video, shared from the Ultimate Fighting Championship 302 event in New Jersey, swiftly garnered over 32 million views and attracted 1.8 million followers by Sunday evening.
Under his verified account #realDonaldTrump, the video captures Trump acknowledging fans at the UFC event, with UFC President Dana White announcing his arrival on the platform. Trump graciously responded, “It’s my honor”.
The clip garnered impressive engagement, accumulating over 2.7 million views and 500,000 likes within just four hours.
Trump’s decision to embrace TikTok comes amid a backdrop of shifting dynamics, including a decline in the share price of Trump Media & Technology Group Corp. (TMTG), the company behind Truth Social, following his recent felony conviction.
Last week, while awaiting the verdict in a courthouse back room, Trump’s eldest son, Don Jr., introduced him to the platform. Their joint appearance on TikTok, discussing their next tweet, marked the beginning of Trump’s foray into the app. Don Jr. has also recently joined TikTok, amassing 345,000 followers since his debut last week.
Trump’s entrance onto TikTok, with its potential to engage younger demographics, occurs amidst uncertainty surrounding the app’s future. There’s speculation that TikTok may face a ban in the coming months if it fails to divest from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, following legislation signed by President Biden in April.
Despite facing 34 convictions and recent legal challenges, Trump’s presence at Saturday night’s UFC event in Newark demonstrated his enduring appeal. The 17,000-strong crowd at the Prudential Center erupted with enthusiasm as Trump made his entrance, with chants of ‘USA, USA!’ echoing throughout the arena.
Amidst the excitement, commentators noted the enthusiastic reception Trump received, highlighting the enduring support he commands despite recent legal setbacks.
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