Donald Trump by Monday had racked up more than 4.2 million followers on TikTok, the popular platform he once tried to ban, after just two days.
Trump's inaugural TikTok video at the weekend showed him walking into a Mixed Martial Arts event in New Jersey where a crowd of mostly young men gave him a rapturous welcome.
His appearance came just two days after he was convicted of 34 felony counts in New York.
At the event, Trump appeared to tell former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov that he was going to “stop” the war in Palestine, although audio of the brief exchange was not clear.
The video had been watched nearly 69 million times as of Monday afternoon.
Trump tried to ban TikTok in 2020 when he was president, but courts blocked the move.
In March, he said the platform was a national security threat but that a ban on it would hurt some young people and only strengthen Facebook, which he has strongly criticised.
President Joe Biden's election campaign is already on TikTok, with more than 340,000 followers, although he has signed a bill that would ban the app, which is used by 170 million Americans, if its Chinese owner ByteDance fails to sell it.
TikTok is suing the US government over the new law.
Mr Biden does not have a personal account on TikTok.
Trump's decision to join the platform could help him to reach younger voters in his third bid for the White House.
He and Mr Biden are in a close race before the November 5 presidential election.
Trump has 87.2 million followers on X, compared to Mr Biden's 38 million, but the former president does most of his social media posting on his own platform, Truth Social.
-
On Truth Social, a social media platform founded by Donald Trump after he was banned from Twitter, conversation is often limited to sycophantic memes and conspiratorial memes. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
Almost all of Mr Trump's followers are die-hard supporters and criticism of the former president is rare. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
Mr Trump's signature line on 'The Apprentice' was: 'You're Fired!' Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
Many memes lionise the former president. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
Mr Trump hopes to get a second term in office in 2024. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
A not-true ReTruth: Trump-backed, election-denying candidate Kari Lake lost to Democrat Katie Dobbs in the Arizona governor race. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
Mr Trump suggests voter fraud in the Arizona governor race. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
Mr Trump attacks Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who may be well positioned to duel the former president in the 2024 White House race. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
Many Maga Republicans miss Mr Trump. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
Mr Trump attacks mail-in ballots that allow millions of Americans who are unable to vote on election day to participate. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
Some of the Trump supporters that stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, used American flags to attack police officers. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
Supporters credit Mr Trump with not starting any new wars. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
How many moves in a game of chess? Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
Another ReTruth. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
The 'Greatest Of All Time'? That remains to be seen. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
Mr Trump was expected to announce a new run for the White House on November 15. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
Mr Trump blamed Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for Republicans' poor showing in the midterm elections. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
Mr Trump still attracts fierce loyalty from his 'Maga' supporters. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
Mr Trump suggests he would perform better than Ron DeSantis. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
A variation on the election-denying theme. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
Mr Trump has continued to make his baseless claims of election fraud in races he or his fellow Republicans lost. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
Another ReTruth. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
Mr Trump returns to his debunked claims of widespread election fraud. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
Another teaser for his November 15 announcement. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
Mr Trump 'ReTruths' a message from a follower. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
The 'legend' will be 78 at the 2024 election, the same age Joe Biden was when he got elected. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
Mr Trump is expected to announce he will run again for president in 2024. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
Mr Trump teases his announcement on November 15. Photo: Screengrab from Truth Social -
Truth Social is only available in the US, Canada and Brazil. Reuters
