Biden turning to social media influencers to tout agenda: report

The Biden administration is tapping prominent TikTokers and other social media influencers to help court young voters as the Democrat gears up for reelection, according to a report.

The digital strategy team for President Biden is connecting with hundreds of influencers across the country who would promote the 80-year-old’s record in the Oval Office to help draw in voters, ages 18 to 29, who don’t already follow the White House or the Democratic Party on various online platforms, Axios reported.

The effort is reportedly spearheaded by staffer Rob Flaherty, who will lead four digital staffers in the White House and was named assistant to the president, which has the same rank as the communication director and press secretary.

Reaching young voters is so critical to Biden that social media influencers – who are unpaid – could have their own briefing room inside the White House to work in-person or remotely, according to Axios.

“We actually asked the White House, ‘When are we going to get press briefing passes,’” 20-year-old TikToker Harry Sisson told the outlet. “They were actually were very responsive to it.”

The NYU student has more than 663,000 followers on TikTok and delivers a brief report day’s biggest news events on the platform.

The White House also reportedly plans to connect with influencers who have local followings when Biden travels to a certain state.

Ironically, the push comes the same time the White House has signaled its willingness to sign off on legislation that would ban TikTok or force its sale because of the platform owner’s ties to the Chinese government and fears it has access to the platform’s user data.

Last September, the White House got TikToker Daniel Mac — who has gained a massive following asking drivers of nice cars what they do for a living — to ask Biden the same question at the Detroit Auto Show.

The clip of Biden’s answers, where he touted making more electric cars, was seen 38 million times on TikTok.

“We’re trying to reach young people, but also moms who use different platforms to get information and climate activists and people whose main way of getting information is digital,” White House Deputy Chief of Staff Jen O’Malley told Axios.

The move could help counteract the huge following former President Trump, who is running for president in 2024, has on some social media platforms.