Scoop: Trump's Cabinet members are joining TikTok after DOJ shift
Most of President Trump's Cabinet will launch TikTok accounts Tuesday, a move that comes days after the Justice Department told federal employees it was safe to use the app because of its sale to a U.S.-approved owner.Why it matters: The move is a striking shift from Trump's first term, when his administration argued that TikTok posed a national security threat because of its ownership by China's ByteDance.By joining the app themselves, Cabinet officials are effectively signaling that TikTok is now an acceptable venue for government messaging.The background: The 2022 No TikTok on Government Devices Act said TikTok couldn't be used on government-issued phones.But Trump's DOJ now says that law is no longer applicable, given the change in the company's ownership to a U.S.-controlled venture earlier year.Zoom in: Trump's administration now views TikTok as a powerful tool for reaching young voters. Trump himself has been on the app since 2024, and some of his posts — including one documenting his appearance at a UFC event — have gotten hundreds of millions of views.
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- What's the story?
- Most of President Trump's Cabinet will launch TikTok accounts Tuesday, a move that comes days after the Justice Department told federal employees it was safe to use the app because of its sale to a U.S.-approved owner.Why it matters: The move is a striking shift from Trump's first term, when his administration argued that TikTok posed a national security threat because of its ownership by China's ByteDance.By joining the app themselves, Cabinet officials are effectively signaling that TikTok is now an acceptable venue for government messaging.The background: The 2022 No TikTok on Government Devices Act said TikTok couldn't be used on government-issued phones.But Trump's DOJ now says that law is no longer applicable, given the change in the company's ownership to a U.S.-controlled venture earlier year.Zoom in: Trump's administration now views TikTok as a powerful tool for reaching young voters. Trump himself has been on the app since 2024, and some of his posts — including one documenting his appearance at a UFC event — have gotten hundreds of millions of views.
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- 1 outlet, average source rating 7.0/10.
- When was it last updated?
- just now ago.
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Scoop: Trump's Cabinet members are joining TikTok after DOJ shift
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