Trump’s TikTok U-turn: From “national security threat” to “crazy videos for kids”

01/29/2025 / By Ramon Tomey

President Trump dismissed concerns about Chinese-owned social media app TikTok, despite previously labeling it a “national security threat.”
Trump’s reasoning for dismissing the app is described as dismissive and naive, allowing it to continue operating in the U.S. despite bipartisan calls for a ban.
Trump’s change of heart is particularly surprising given his own history with TikTok, having signed an executive order in 2020 aimed at forcing ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to sell its U.S. operations or face a ban.
Trump’s justification for the reversal is his disdain for Facebook, which he considers an “enemy of the people.”
The reversal has emboldened TikTok’s leadership and left concerns about Chinese espionage and data exploitation unaddressed, with the app continuing to collect vast amounts of data from its 170 million American users.

In a stunning reversal, President Donald Trump has downplayed the national security risks posed by Chinese-owned social media app TikTok – despite his own past warnings and actions against it.

In a Fox News interview just days into his second term, Trump dismissed concerns about the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) using the app to spy on Americans. TikTok, which the president described as an app for “young kids watching crazy videos,” was not a significant threat.

“Those that say they know say it’s a spying app for the Communist Chinese,” Fox News host Sean Hannity remarked during the Oval Office interview Wednesday, Jan. 22.

“I know. But you can say that about everything made in China,” Trump retorted. “Is it that important for China to be spying on young people, on young kids watching crazy videos?”

But according to critics, this reasoning is not only dismissive but dangerously naive. Trump’s stance on TikTok has softened dramatically in between his first and second terms. This abrupt shift has also allowed TikTok to continue operating in the U.S., despite a bipartisan push for a ban.

This about-face is particularly jarring given Trump’s own history with TikTok. In March, he labeled TikTok a “national security threat,” echoing concerns shared by lawmakers and intelligence officials. Trump told CNBC‘s “Squawk Box” at the time when asked if TikTok threatened national security: “I do believe it, and we have to very much admit we are protecting American people’s privacy and data rights.”

During his first term, Trump signed an executive order (EO) in August 2020 declaring that TikTok’s “data collection threatens to allow the CCP access to Americans’ personal and proprietary information — potentially allowing China to track the locations of Federal employees and contractors, build dossiers of personal information for blackmail and conduct corporate espionage. The EO aimed to force TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell its U.S. operations to an American firm or face a ban.

From foe to friend: The strange relationship between Trump and TikTok

TikTok’s data collection practices, while similar to those of American tech giants, are uniquely concerning because of its ties to Beijing. As Trump’s own 2020 executive order noted, ByteDance is legally obligated to comply with Chinese government requests for data. This makes TikTok a potential tool for espionage, propaganda and influence operations – risks that Trump himself once acknowledged.

So what explains this sudden change of heart? Trump has offered a curious justification: his disdain for Facebook.

“There’s a lot of good and there’s a lot of bad with TikTok,” Trump said in March. “But the thing I don’t like is that without TikTok, you can make Facebook bigger. I consider Facebook to be an enemy of the people along with a lot of the media.”

During his “Squawk Box” appearance, Trump also admitted that he could have banned TikTok during his first term, but chose not to. The implications of this decision are far-reaching, now that his second term has begun.

Trump’s intervention appears to have paid off and has also emboldened TikTok’s leadership. The app’s CEO Shou Zi Chew attended Trump’s inauguration, signaling a cozy relationship between the administration and the app’s Chinese-owned parent company.

While Trump has suggested that ByteDance sell a 50 percent stake to an American partner, this half-measure does little to address the underlying risks of Chinese government access to U.S. user data. In the meantime, TikTok continues to operate with minimal oversight, collecting vast amounts of data from its 170 million American users. (Related: Trump proposes 50% U.S. ownership of TikTok to save app from ban.)

Trump’s reversal on TikTok in a bid to court young voters has sidelined legitimate concerns about Chinese espionage and data exploitation. As TikTok continues to grow in influence, the risks to American privacy and security will only escalate.

Watch Trey Gowdy of Fox News and Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) discussing Trump’s change of heart when it comes to TikTok below.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.