Former President Donald Trump‘s stance on TikTok, once hostile, has shifted dramatically due to billionaire Jeffrey Yass’s influence. Yass, a prominent Republican donor, initially supported other candidates for the 2024 election but later aligned himself with Trump.
This shift became apparent when Trump spoke at a retreat organized by the Club for Growth, a right-wing business PAC heavily funded by Yass.
At the retreat, Trump praised Yass and criticized proposals to ban TikTok, suggesting it benefited Facebook’s competitors. Yass, Pennsylvania’s wealthiest individual, holds considerable financial interest in TikTok through Susquehanna International Group’s investment in its parent company, ByteDance.
He’s a significant donor to conservative causes, contributing over $46 million to Republican groups in recent years. Yass’s political influence extends beyond donations, as he’s advocated for policies aligned with Trump’s agenda, such as school choice and tax cuts.
His libertarian views on education clash with traditional public schooling, which he considers akin to slavery. Despite Trump’s previous antagonism towards TikTok, he now supports it, echoing Yass’s stance.
This shift emphasizes Yass’s rising influence within Republican circles and his alignment with Trump’s positions on social media and education policy. As debates over TikTok’s future unfold in Congress, Yass’s financial interests and political connections position him as a key player in shaping its fate.
