In a highly anticipated move, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance reestablished their TikTok presence on Monday, October 6, marking their first posts on the wildly popular platform since the 2024 election. Their return follows a landmark $14 billion deal that secures TikTok’s continued operation under majority American ownership, ending months of uncertainty about the app’s future in the United States.
Trump posted a direct and confident message from the Oval Office to TikTok’s younger audience: “To all of those young people of TikTok, I saved TikTok, so you owe me big,” said the President. “Now you’re looking at me in the Oval Office, and someday one of you are gonna be sitting right at this desk, and you’re gonna be doing a great job also.” His video drove immediate engagement, earning over 766,000 likes and nearly 36,000 comments by the next day, with his account now tallying 15.3 million followers.
Simultaneously, Vice President Vance also returned to TikTok after admitting to neglecting the platform while focused on his duties. Filming in front of a Marine Corps flag, Vance promised more frequent updates on White House activities and political news, alongside lighter moments he teased as “maybe some sombrero memes here and there.” The reference hints at AI-generated Trump videos that have stirred controversy in political circles. Vance’s video attracted over 218,000 likes, growing his follower count to 2.6 million, despite some trolling with memes inspired by the show South Park.
The backdrop of their TikTok comeback is a September 25 executive order signed by President Trump, approving a $14 billion ownership deal that preserves TikTok’s access to the US market. The agreement stems from a bipartisan 2024 law requiring Chinese-owned ByteDance to divest its US operations or face a ban. Under the new deal, American investors Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi’s MGX fund will control 45% of US TikTok. ByteDance retains less than 20%, with remaining shares held by ByteDance insiders and new investors.
Oracle is tasked with overseeing TikTok’s US algorithms and security, including obtaining ByteDance’s algorithm code and retraining it with US user data. Notably, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison joins the ownership group with potential involvement from tech and media figures like Michael Dell and Rupert Murdoch. China’s approval is pending, though President Xi Jinping reportedly has agreed to the arrangement, with full closure expected in early 2026.
This strategic revival of TikTok by the White House leaders symbolizes an effort to engage young Americans directly through social media while simultaneously navigating complex geopolitical and regulatory challenges. As TikTok prepares for its next chapter under mixed ownership, these high-profile returns set the stage for increased political content and digital outreach from the highest levels of US government.