Trump Claims to Be 'Number One' on TikTok, But Actually Only Tops Global Leaders While Lagging Far Behind Taylor Swift

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed to be the 'number one' on TikTok, even stating he has surpassed pop superstar Taylor Swift. However, according to U.S. financial media CNBC, Trump is referring to being the 'world leader with the most followers globally,' not the top account across the entire TikTok platform.

This week, Trump told reporters at the White House, 'The latest numbers just came out. Do you know who the number one person on TikTok is? It's Trump. Me.'

He reiterated his claim during the NATO summit in Ankara, saying he ranked first, while entertainment celebrities were in 27th or 29th place. 'I don’t fully understand it either, but it shows my message is spreading.'

As of July 9, Trump’s official TikTok account has approximately 16.7 million followers, while Taylor Swift has around 33.5 million—more than double Trump’s count.

The most-followed TikTok account globally belongs to Senegalese-Italian influencer Khabane Lame, with 162.3 million followers. Second is American creator Charli D'Amelio, with 159.2 million followers—both far exceeding Trump.

Trump’s claim stems from a message sent by TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, who referred to him as the 'world leader with the most followers on TikTok.' Trump shared this message on Truth Social.

According to CNBC, as of July 9, the ranking of world leaders by TikTok followers is: U.S. President Donald Trump (16.7 million), El Salvador President Nayib Bukele (12.9 million), Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum (9.3 million), and French President Emmanuel Macron (7.3 million).

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and several Middle Eastern leaders do not currently have official TikTok accounts.

Meanwhile, former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, who ran against Trump in the 2024 presidential race, has about 10.1 million followers. Former President Barack Obama and current President Joe Biden do not have official TikTok accounts.

Trump’s TikTok content primarily features him discussing policies, governance, and government initiatives from the Oval Office, along with some entertainment-style videos.

Recently, Trump said he uses TikTok to promote American achievements and discuss 'how bad communism is.'

Besides TikTok, Trump has approximately 111.7 million followers on X (formerly Twitter), 44 million on Instagram, and 12.9 million on Truth Social.