Addison Rae under fire for saying Trump created TikTok 'problem in the first place': 'She's a clown'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Addison Rae, the TikTok star turned actress and musician, has faced backlash after claiming that Donald Trump was responsible for the issues surrounding the app's potential ban.

Rae suggested that Trump initially created the problem when he first spoke about banning TikTok, which originated in 2014 as Musical.ly.

Addison Rae refuses to thank Trump for reinstating TikTok

In a recent interview with Vogue France, Addison Rae, who gained popularity through dance videos in 2019 and became the fifth most-followed person on the platform with over 88 million followers, dismissed the idea of crediting Trump for reinstating TikTok.

When asked whether Donald Trump should be thanked for reinstating TikTok on his first day in office, Addison Rae replied, "No."

"No, because he was the one who created the problem in the first place. He was the cause of the blockage," Rae told the magazine.

"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," she added.

Addison Rae expands into music and film amid TikTok success

With her massive following, Addison Rae secured deals with major brands such as L'Oréal, Adidas, and YSL Beauty before venturing into fashion and clothing businesses.

Her fame also led her to pursue a childhood dream of singing and dancing like Britney Spears.

Her collaborations with pop icon Charli XCX have been well-received, and her music streams, including her critically panned single 'Obsessed' and her 2024 release 'Diet Pepsi', have amassed close to half a billion listens.

She also stepped into acting with the Netflix comedy 'He’s All That', besides other credits.

TikTok ban in Trump and Biden administration: Brief timeline

In April 2024, former president Joe Biden signed legislation requiring TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, to sell its US operations within a year or shut down.

The Chinese-based company later filed a lawsuit claiming the law violated the First Amendment.

On December 27, 2024, Trump asked the Supreme Court to delay the potential ban until his administration could find a "political resolution."

However, the Supreme Court upheld the ban, citing national security concerns. The law took effect on January 18, but Trump reinitiated TikTok within 24 hours of assuming office and signed an executive order to pause its US ban.

Notably, Trump had first discussed banning TikTok in July 2020, citing China’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Associated Press.

He issued executive orders restricting US transactions with ByteDance and later demanded the company divest its US operations within 90 days.

Microsoft also confirmed exploring acquisition at the time though the deal never materialized.

Despite ban discussions, Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and Trump all used TikTok for campaign-related activities before the 2024 election.

Addison Rae's response for not thanking Trump over TikTok sparks debate

Addison Rae's comments drew divided reactions online.

"Addison Rae is a joke she didn’t say s**t about Biden for 4 years and now wants to say something about Trump for PR. She’s a clown," one user wrote on X.

Another user criticized her perspective, "We can see her bubble she is in if that quote is accurate… gosh she’s an idiot."

Others urged her to focus on her career. "Focus on music, Miss Rae. You are still at the beginning of your musical career, people have to learn and to appreciate your creativity, not your personal view about complex matters..."

One said, U not fooling anyone."

Another comment read, "She got bullied into changing her opinion on him, what a sad world." 

One person referenced her past interaction with Trump, claiming, "She never liked him, she said hi to him on a dare."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.