Trump Falsely Claims He’s ‘Number One’ on TikTok and Brags About $10 Billion Fee

President Donald Trump falsely claimed that his TikTok account is the largest on the platform while also bragging that his quasi-statist economic policies have reaped billions.

Speaking at a rally in Arizona on Wednesday, the president touted the federal government’s stake in Intel. Last year, the government took a 10% stake in the chipmaker in what was a highly unusual move. Typically, the federal government only buys shares in publicly traded companies that are under financial duress.

Three months later, Trump facilitated a deal in which TikTok, the China-based social media giant, would spin off its U.S. operations into a separate company that sold to a group led by Oracle’s Larry Ellison and his son David Ellison. The younger Ellison now owns a slew of media organizations, including CBS and CNN, in addition to TikTok’s U.S. arm. As part of the deal, the Trump administration received a $10 billion fee for brokering it.

“I do these deals and do I get credit? No, I get no credit,” Trump complained to rally-goers in Bullhead City. “You know. I said the other day, ‘I did all these deals with Intel. You saw. We made a $72 billion profit. I did a deal with Intel. Our country made a $72 billion profit. Nobody ever writes about it. The fake news doesn’t write about it.”

The U.S. bought $8.9 billion in Intel shares at $24.70 a share. With the share price currently just over $98, that is about a $47 billion profit.

The president then pivoted to his facilitation of the TikTok deal, and claimed he has the most followers on the platform. His claim is not even close to being true.

“I made $72 billion on TikTok,” Trump said, seemingly forgetting he was no longer talking about Intel. “You know who number one on TikTok is? Trump. Remember, Trump number one. Can you believe it? Taylor Swift is 19. I’m number one. Can you believe this? No, can you believe it? I just sent out the ratings.”

Watch above via Real America’s Voice.

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