Donald Trump touts that ‘TikTok is back’ and calls on Elon Musk to attend MAGA pre-inauguration rally

Donald Trump told a MAGA-heavy pre-inauguration rally that ‘TikTok is back’ as he pledged to sign an executive order that will give the social media platform more time in the context of a new American law requiring a sale of its Chinese parent company ByteDance. .

Trump has said he wants the U.S. to hold a 50% stake in the platform as a joint venture, but it’s unclear what that would entail and whether ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, would accept such conditions.

“We’re not investing money,” Trump said. “All we do is give them the approval without which they have nothing. Looks like it’s working, what do you think, okay?

TikTok was taken offline on Saturday evening, after a new law came into force banning app stores in the United States from downloading the popular platform. But TikTok rallied this afternoon as the company thanked Trump for his assurances that once in office he would not take action to sanction service providers who offer the app.

The rally at Capitol One Arena largely unfolded like his many campaign events, as Trump promised the “largest mass deportation in history,” called illegal immigrant criminals “animals” and broadcast a video mix of reports on crimes committed by undocumented individuals. He denounced Joe Biden and his administration, again denounced David Muir for the way he moderated the debate on ABC News, and continued to insist that the 2020 election was rigged.

But Trump also gave some hints about what will happen in the first week after returning to office.

On Friday, he plans to travel to Los Angeles to tour the devastation of the wildfires that destroyed Pacific Palisades and Altadena. He said he recently met with Los Angeles Olympic organizers, including Casey Wasserman, and “because of the wildfires, they’re going to do some very special work.” He also pledged to “build Los Angeles back better, more beautiful than ever.”

Trump said he would also release the remaining records of the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., which Robert Kennedy Jr., his choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has done. called for.

Trump told the crowd he would sign an executive order on Monday so that “the invasion of our borders will stop and all illegal border trespassers will, one way or another, be on their way back.” . But he also plans to sign dozens of other executive orders in the coming days, including those targeting the federal workforce and Biden’s climate policy.

Speakers at the rally included Jon Voight and Dana White, while Kid Rock was among the performers. Trump’s sons, Don Jr. and Eric, also spoke, as did his adviser Stephen Miller.

During his hour-long speech, Trump called on Elon Musk, joined by his grandson X, the only one of the president-elect’s allies to share the stage with him. Musk, who reportedly spent $250 million to help Trump get elected, is leading an effort called the Department of Government Effectiveness. Musk told the crowd that “what matters going forward is making meaningful change…and laying the foundation for a century of strong America.”

Trump said that when he delivers his inaugural address Monday, he will deliver a message of “unity.” But the rally focused much more on campaign attacks on the left and so-called “woke culture,” with Trump and other speakers denouncing the transgender rights movement, DEI and critical theory of breed.

One of the speakers, Megyn Kelly, attacked Hollywood celebrities “who get up there and try to tell us how to vote,” even though Trump himself has relied on figures like Voight and others in his campaign. Rally attendees included Sylvester Stallone, who, along with Voight and Mel Gibson, were chosen to be Trump’s “ambassadors” to Hollywood.

Trump also attacked what he sees as a military weakness, with a video that pitted soldiers in combat against a military message promoting a Pride celebration.

That said, Trump’s rally ended with the current incarnation of the Village People, singing the gay anthem “YMCA,” which has also become an iconic MAGA campaign song. On stage, Trump mixed his hands and arms and danced.