Former President Trump expressed his strong opposition to a TikTok ban and went on to label Facebook as “an enemy of the people.”
“In all honesty, TikTok has gained immense popularity among a vast number of individuals. It has become a favorite among numerous youngsters, who would feel utterly distraught if they were to lose access to it. The user base of TikTok is extensive,” remarked Trump during his appearance on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”
In expressing his views on TikTok, Trump highlighted both the positive and negative aspects of the platform. However, he expressed his disapproval of the fact that TikTok’s popularity could potentially contribute to the further growth of Facebook. He went on to state that he considers Facebook to be an adversary of the public, along with the media.
During his first term in the White House, Trump had previously described TikTok as a national security threat, as noted by CNBC journalists.
According to Trump, he maintains his belief that the government should prioritize safeguarding Americans’ “privacy and data rights.”
According to Trump, he is not seeking to expand the size of Facebook. However, he believes that if TikTok and other platforms, particularly Facebook, are banned, Facebook will benefit greatly.
During a recent meeting, the former president had a conversation with Jeff Yass, a prominent GOP donor and investor in TikTok. However, TikTok was not discussed during their interaction.
On Friday, Trump expressed doubt about the idea of banning TikTok, despite the introduction of a bipartisan bill that would force its parent company, ByteDance, to sell its ownership or face a ban in the United States.
The legislation was advanced unanimously by the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday.
In 2020, during his tenure as President, Trump made a strong commitment to prohibiting the video-based social media app, TikTok, from functioning in the United States. He issued an order, demanding ByteDance to separate itself from TikTok’s operations in the U.S. Nevertheless, this order was subsequently halted by the court.
In the aftermath of the Capitol riots, where hundreds of his supporters tried to obstruct the certification of the 2020 election results, Facebook took the decision to ban Trump in January 2021.
Months were spent by the former president on social media, spreading false claims about the election in the lead-up to the insurrection.
Last year, Facebook’s parent company, Meta, reinstated Donald Trump.
