Gen Z would be wise not to start considering Donald Trump a hero despite his recent quest to “save” TikTok from being banned in the U.S.
In the weeks leading up to his inauguration, Trump made clear that he opposed the impending country-wide ban on the highly popular social media app, which was spurred by the American government’s fear that TikTok could pose a national security threat.
Rep. Michael McHaul referred to the app as a “spy balloon in Americans’ phones,” a concern corroborated by Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, who expressed fear that the app can “track your whereabouts… can read your text messages… can track your keystrokes,” and even that “it has access to your phone records.”
Whether any of this is true is inconsequential to some Gen Z members’ positive response to President Trump’s newfound aim to prevent the government from banning the app as planned.
On Jan. 18, the government’s anti-TikTok rhetoric came to a head when the app went offline for American users — though the long-awaited ban only lasted approximately 12 hours.
Over those 12 hours, Americans who opened the app were greeted by a message ensuring them that their TikTok access would be restored shortly thanks to the valiant efforts of their incoming president:
“A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, this means you can’t use TikTok for now,” read the message. “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”
Over the gruelling and emotionally taxing 12 hours in which millions of Americans had to go without their favourite app, many waited with bated breath to see if their new hero Donald Trump could really restore the fundamental American right to watch short-form skits and thirst traps on TikTok. Thankfully, like an angel descending from the heavens, users were met with a new message not long after:
“Welcome back! Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.! You can continue to create, share, and discover all the things you love on TikTok.”
TikTok placing Trump at the front and centre of this discussion is no coincidence. Trump has repeatedly expressed his support for the app, claiming he has “a warm spot in [his] heart” for TikTok because it supposedly helped sway the youth vote in his favour during the presidential election a few months earlier. His new BFF Shou Chew, the CEO of TikTok, took a seat at Trump’s inauguration ceremony, solidifying the blossoming friendship between the pair.
If we’re honest, it’s not hard to see why this move would positively impact Gen Z’s overall perception of Trump, considering the demographic comprises the majority of TikTok users. It seems this was an intentional part of TikTok’s messaging during the hours it was banned by explicitly naming Trump as its saviour. TikTok users should hold strong to their beliefs, however, and not allow the reinstating of their favourite app to redefine the way they think about Trump.
This is still the same Donald Trump that you’ve known for years. It’s the same Donald Trump that separates children from their parents at the border. It’s the same Donald Trump that put abortion access at risk in several states. It’s the same Donald Trump that incited an attempted insurrection during the Jan. 6 Capitol invasion, and the same Donald Trump that recently launched a confusing conquest to intimidate Canada and Greenland into territorial submission.
It’s the same Donald Trump who consistently acts purely out of self-interest, which would explain why he wants to help the app that he believes helped him gain support during the election. If he thought that TikTok helped Kamala Harris instead of him, he’d be the first one riding the “ban TikTok” bandwagon.
In fact, it wouldn’t be the first time. Let’s not forget that Trump was a key figure in launching the anti-TikTok movement within the American government five years ago, which sought to eventually ban the app for American users. How interesting that as soon as he believes the app works to his political benefit, he no longer seems to deem it a national security threat — in fact, he’ll take it upon himself to be the figurehead of the movement to save it.
Trump might have done one thing to benefit the millions of TikTok users within America, but that doesn’t undo the plethora of bad things he’s done throughout the past and will certainly continue to do throughout the future. It doesn’t mean he’s suddenly had a change of heart that will turn him into a Gen Z advocate or reverse his stances on a broad spectrum of issues that harm millions of people.
Don’t let TikTok’s manipulative messaging sway you in favour of Trump. Don’t be so shallow as to allow your morals to be shifted because a social media app was reinstated. And if that’s not enough for you, don’t forget that Trump is the entire reason the app was in trouble in the first place.
Donald Trump has taken the public role of TikTok’s saviour, but don’t let that redefine the way you think about him.
I assure you — he’s still Donald Trump.