Trump Attempts to Woo Young Male Voters to Counter Biden’s TikTok Influence
Donald Trump is planning to use TikTok as a platform to reach out to young men with short-form videos discussing economic issues, according to two campaign advisers who spoke to Reuters. This strategy offers a glimpse into the Republican presidential candidate’s approach to the popular app as the 2024 election approaches.
Trump made his debut on TikTok by posting a video from an Ultimate Fighting Championship event, highlighting his campaign’s focus on appealing to young voters, specifically men who are prominent in the UFC fan base.
The initial 13-second video, featuring Trump engaging with UFC fans, quickly gained millions of views, showcasing his influence on the Chinese-owned platform he once attempted to ban during his presidency. By Wednesday, Trump had amassed 5.5 million followers and 5.8 million likes on TikTok.
During his presidency, Trump tried to ban TikTok through an executive order, citing national security concerns over its owner, ByteDance, a Chinese tech firm. However, the courts blocked this move. In April, President Joe Biden, who will face Trump in the upcoming election, signed legislation that would prohibit TikTok in the U.S. unless ByteDance divests.
Trump has not posted again on TikTok, and his campaign has not detailed their plans for engaging with the platform’s 170 million U.S. users, particularly young men who surveys indicate are increasingly supportive of Trump.
Tony Fabrizio, a veteran Republican pollster serving as a senior advisor to the Trump campaign, emphasized that the central message on TikTok would be economic, tapping into the frustration among young individuals with the post-pandemic inflation surge that the Biden administration has struggled to control.
Trump’s presence on TikTok marks a significant shift in his campaign’s social media approach, which has primarily focused on the content he shares on Truth Social, the platform he launched and oversees.
James Blair, political director for the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee, hinted at a forthcoming increase in Trump’s activity on TikTok, a platform highly popular among adults under 30 in the U.S.
While Biden does not have an individual TikTok account, his re-election campaign maintains one with 360,000 followers and 4.6 million likes, emphasizing Biden’s policy stances on healthcare and gun control to sway young voters.
Despite differing opinions, some polls suggest that Trump, 77, is gaining ground with young voters compared to Biden, 81, a shift from the 2020 election where Biden had a significant advantage among voters aged 18-29. Concerns about inflation, Biden’s age, and his support for Israel in conflicts have weakened his support among young demographics.
Although still unpopular with young women, Trump appears to be resonating more with young men, possibly due to his efforts to cultivate a masculine image and criticize progressive ideals. Trump’s campaign sees potential in engaging with TikTok’s diverse user base to expand support.
According to a 2023 study by the Pew Research Center, the majority of TikTok’s regular U.S. users lean Democrat, presenting a challenge for Trump. However, there is an opportunity to increase support among specific demographics on the platform.
Future Majority, a Democratic firm, found in a survey of TikTok users that those with negative views of the Biden administration, especially on economic and foreign policy issues, were heavy users of the platform. The survey highlighted young women, Latino women, and Black men as key users of TikTok with more favorable views of Trump compared to Biden.
TikTok is influencing the perspective of users on Biden and the current state of the country, indicating the potential impact of social media on political sentiments.
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