President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign is reportedly weighing joining the Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok, despite the administration banning the app on government phones, two people familiar with the conversations told Axios.
As national security concerns surrounding the social media platform heightened, Biden signed a bill in December 2022 to prohibit TikTok from nearly 4 million federal government-owned devices, according to NBC News. Despite previous actions the president has taken against the app, the Biden campaign is now considering joining the social media platform to garner the support of younger voters, two people familiar with the conversations told Axios in a Friday report. (RELATED: Dem Rep Warns TikTok Is A National Security Threat)
Recent polls have shown Biden could use more support from the under-30 years old crowd: 47% of Americans between 18 and 30 years old say they would vote for Biden, although 46% of the same demographic say they would vote for former President Donald Trump, according to a New York Times poll published Nov. 5.
The campaign reacted to Axios’ article on Twitter, arguing the story was not news.
“Lol this is not a scoop,” Biden campaign senior communications adviser TJ Ducklo tweeted in response to Axios’ article. “Campaigns talk about a bunch of stuff and some we do and a bunch we don’t.”
“Something some outlets who know better choose to ignore for cLicKs. If we have news to share we’ll let yall know!” Ducklo continued.
Lol this is not a scoop. Campaigns talk about a bunch of stuff and some we do and a bunch we don’t. Something some outlets who know better choose to ignore for cLicKs. If we have news to share we’ll let yall know! https://t.co/rkBrQrSyKQ
— TJ Ducklo (@TDucklo) November 17, 2023
Biden has turned to social media platforms such as TikTok to reach Americans throughout his presidency. The president has held fewer press conferences — 13 solo and 17 joint — than any other president at this point in their tenure, and he has participated in the fewest interviews with the press since former President Ronald Reagan, according to The Washington Post.
The White House has a staff working specifically on promoting the president’s accomplishments on social media. Social media influencers were briefed on Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act after it was passed, The Washington Post reported. Some of the White House staff spend time making videos on “Bidenomics” while others brief social media influencers on topics important to the president, such as the White House’s plans for Mental Health Week, according to The Post.
“Our communications strategy is ‘all of the above’ — which it must be to break through in a fractured media environment and an era of information overload,” White House communications director Ben LaBolt told the outlet. “We study where Americans get their information and make sure we are meeting them where they are, whether that is traditional newscasts, social media or consumer outlets.”