Former President Donald Trump has quickly gained a large following on TikTok, with 5.6 million followers and 87 million views on his first video, surpassing his opponents in the presidential race. President Biden’s campaign account has 360,100 followers, while independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has 1.3 million followers. The presence of both major party candidates on TikTok highlights the platform’s role in engaging young voters, with a significant portion of Americans and 18- to 29-year-olds using the app. Polling data shows that Biden has a slight lead over Trump among Americans aged 40 and under, and younger voters in battleground states are less likely to turn out this year.
Both Trump and Biden have complex relationships with TikTok, with Trump previously attempting to ban the platform and Biden signing legislation to potentially force its Chinese owner to sell. Trump now opposes a ban, and his campaign has utilized TikTok to reach young voters. Kennedy, who has been vocal against a TikTok ban, has gained popularity on the platform, with more followers than many politicians. Polling indicates that Kennedy is resonating with young voters, with a higher percentage of his supporters using TikTok compared to Biden and Trump supporters. Biden’s campaign has not seen the same level of success on TikTok as Kennedy, with fewer likes and views on their videos.
The Trump campaign’s decision to join TikTok reflects their strategy to engage with young voters on all platforms, as there has been a significant amount of pro-Trump content on the app. While TikTok success may not directly translate to votes, the platform provides an opportunity for Trump to reach a broader audience beyond his own platform, Truth Social. However, there is concern that Trump and Kennedy may use TikTok to spread misinformation, as they have done on other platforms. Kennedy’s videos focus on his independent candidacy and encourage viewers to vote for him instead of choosing the “lesser of two evils.”
In contrast to Kennedy and Trump, the Biden campaign’s TikTok account utilizes viral audio clips and memes to highlight Trump’s missteps and policy plans. The majority of their videos reference or depict Trump, with one video showing a controversial statement made by Trump at a rally. Trump’s own TikTok content has been limited to one video announcing the launch of his account. The Biden campaign’s approach on TikTok aims to engage with young voters and highlight differences between Biden and Trump, while Trump’s strategy focuses on reaching a wider audience and potentially spreading falsehoods. The use of TikTok by all three candidates underscores the platform’s growing influence in engaging with voters, especially younger demographics.
