‘The cause of the blockage’: There’s one thing Addison Rae can’t bring herself to thank Donald Trump for

TikTok was in danger until President Donald Trump saved it. This is a narrative that TikTok’s owner has pushed and one that MAGA supporters largely believe. Despite this, Addison Rae refuses to thank Trump for ‘saving’ TikTok.

Rae, who rose to stardom through TikTok, didn’t want to credit Trump for the reinstatement of TikTok. In an interview with Vogue France, Rae was asked if she felt “any urge” to thank Trump for what he allegedly did for TikTok. She responded, “No, because he was the one who created the problem in the first place. He was the cause of the blockage.”

The influencer added, “I remember the first time I heard about a possible ban of the app was around 2020. I was worried. Of course, I’m glad the network survived.” Before Trump started defending TikTok during his presidential campaign, Trump largely viewed the social media app as a national security threat. TikTok’s owner, ByteDance, is a Chinese technology company. During his first term in office, Trump released an executive order that would ‘ban TikTok’ in 2020. Essentially, Trump ignited the conversation about a possible ban.

Aside from TikTok, Rae also expressed fear over Trump’s rise in the interview. When asked about her opinion on the rise of Trump, she reportedly felt afraid. “Things are changing at a crazy speed. It’s unbelievable to see how quickly one can abuse a newly acquired power, being disconnected from others and from the values ​​of one’s country.”

Perhaps this criticism comes as a surprise for critics of Addison Rae. In 2021, Rae received social media backlash after she introduced herself to Donald Trump at a UFC 264 event. Rae tapped Trump’s shoulder and greeted him politely. While that seems like an innocent gesture, Rae did this only months after Trump had been accused of stirring up an insurrection.

Can Trump be credited for ‘saving’ TikTok?

Former President Joe Biden signed a law that would ban TikTok from the United States unless it’s sold to a US company. The social media platform went dark voluntarily three months before the ban could take effect. After Trump was inaugurated into office, TikTok indicated that Trump was “willing to work on a solution” to reinstate the app. It’s important to note that Trump had no power to broker any crucial deal with TikTok at the time.