In a surprising turn of events, former President Donald Trump has joined TikTok, and the announcement of the move came just days after Trump was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records.
Trump launched his account on the social media platform with a video from a UFC event held in New Jersey on Saturday evening, and the 13-second clip featured Trump entering the arena, waving to the crowd, and taking selfies with fans, as the Daily Mail reports.
The video montage was met with enthusiastic cheers from attendees at the Prudential Center in Newark. Trump interacted with fans, shaking hands and posing for selfies as he made his way through the audience.
UFC President Dana White introduced Trump to the crowd, accompanied by Kid Rock's "American Bad Ass." Trump responded with, "It's my honor," and later quipped, "That was a good walk on, right?"
Trump captioned his first TikTok video with, "Launching my TikTok at UFC 302," and quickly gained traction on the platform, amassing 220,000 followers. The former president became acquainted with TikTok during his recent hush money trial, with his son, Donald Trump Jr., introducing him to the app while awaiting the trial's verdict. Donald Trump Jr. has 345,000 followers on TikTok himself.
The timing of Trump's TikTok debut comes amid ongoing potential bans on the app unless ByteDance, the company owning TikTok, divests from Chinese ownership. During his presidency, Trump attempted to ban TikTok, citing national security concerns.
Despite these concerns, Trump acknowledged that banning TikTok might benefit Meta, even though he still considers ByteDance a national security threat. This move mirrors the steps taken by President Joe Biden's campaign, which joined TikTok in February and accumulated 334,000 followers.
Trump received a loud ovation from approximately 17,000 fans at the UFC event. Some in the crowd wielded "Trump 2024" flags, and as Dana White escorted the former president through the audience, the cheers grew louder. Commentators noted the overwhelming round of applause Trump received.
Comedian Theo Von and NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers were among those who encountered Trump at the event. The former president also shook hands with UFC commentator Joe Rogan and watched the Makhachev vs. Poirier fight from a ringside seat.
After his victory, fighter Kevin Holland shook hands with Trump, adding to the night’s highlights. The video ended with Trump boasting about the reception he received, encapsulating the night's enthusiastic atmosphere.
Despite the celebratory atmosphere at the UFC event, Trump's legal issues loom large. Last Thursday, Trump was convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money scheme involving Stormy Daniels. The conviction is tied to a $130,000 payment made to Daniels to influence the 2016 election.
Trump's sentencing is slated for July 11, and each of the 34 counts carries a potential maximum sentence of up to four years in prison. However, despite these legal battles, Trump’s popularity appears undiminished as evidenced by a $52 million fundraising surge following the guilty verdict.
A poll reflected a 6% increase in positive views of Trump among the electorate after the verdict. This marks a notable shift in public perception, even as Trump faces three other trials concerning handling classified documents, influencing the 2020 election, and the January 6 riots.
The frenzy surrounding Trump’s TikTok debut, coupled with his presence at UFC 302, suggests that the former president remains a polarizing yet influential figure. While his legal battles are far from over, Trump's ability to capture public attention—and support—remains undiminished.
