Trump to ‘save’ Tiktok as RedNote rises ahead of Sunday’s ban
President Donald Trump has reportedly considered rescuing the Chinese-owned social media app Tiktok from its looming ban.
Once in office, Trump may suspend the enforcement of the ban-or-sale law through executive order, reported the Washington Post.
He has been exploring unconventional ways in which he could save the app, which now hosts over 170m users across the US.
This would allow the administration time to think of an alternative solution to take back ownership of the app while helping Trump gain support through his second term as president.
As Tiktok faces threats of extinction in the US over national security claims, rival app RedNote has experienced a dramatic surge as users pre-emptively switch platforms.
The Shanghai-owned social media app, an international version of the Chinese app Xiahonshu, has gained 700,000 new users in just two days.
Self-proclaimed ‘Tiktok refugees’ have driven the app to the top of the US Apple Store, making it the most downloaded app in America since Monday.
Tiktok is set to appear at the Supreme Court on Friday in a final plea to halt the ban.
RedNote benefits from Tiktok’s looming ban
As the decision looms, RedNote has capitalised on Tiktok’s exit from the US market as an alternative by offering a similar creative lifestyle content platform.
Its familiar features have provided an attractive alternative for casual users and influencers, ensuring some form of continuity for creators seeking to maintain Tiktok audiences and income streams.
Yet, Rednote’s rapid rise has attracted controversy for its Chinese content moderation policies, which critics have argued undermine democratic principles.
For example, posts discussing politically sensitive topics have been flagged or removed, according to Forbes.
Reuters also reported that the platform’s algorithm prioritises content aligned with state-approved narratives while trivialising more controversial topics and views.
This raises broader self-censorship concerns about how young Western users may be affected.
However, Tiktok’s looming ban has also sparked debate on the precedent it may set for other platforms.
The legislation underpinning this move could ripple across the tech sector, bringing down apps such as RedNote along with it.