• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens

2

As AI slashes white-collar jobs, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says almost no one is being hired—except in sales

3

Current price of oil as of May 29, 2026

1

As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens

2

As AI slashes white-collar jobs, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says almost no one is being hired—except in sales

3

Current price of oil as of May 29, 2026
PoliticsFortune Analytics

Could a TikTok shutdown cost Trump at the polls?

By
Lance Lambert
Lance Lambert
Former Real Estate Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Lance Lambert
Lance Lambert
Former Real Estate Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 12, 2020, 2:00 PM ET

Our mission to help you navigate the new normal is fueled by subscribers. To enjoy unlimited access to our journalism, subscribe today.

All signs point to TikTok shutting down.

This week President Donald Trump said he wouldn’t delay his executive order that bans TikTok from operating in the U.S. unless its parent Chinese company, ByteDance, sells it to an American company by September 20.

And TikTok has yet to finalize a deal as Chinese government officials remain opposed to offers made by Microsoft/Walmart and Oracle. And on Friday, Reuters reported that China would rather see TikTok be shut down in the U.S. than it forced into a sale.

But if Trump—citing security concerns—actually shuts down TikTok will it cost him votes? To find out Fortune and SurveyMonkey teamed up to poll 2,478 U.S. adults between August 17 and 18.*

We found the public isn’t thrilled by the executive order, however, they aren’t strongly opposed to it either. Among U.S. adults, 50% oppose Trump’s executive order to force a sale of TikTok’s U.S. business, 41% support the order, and 9% are unsure.

But there is a huge generational divide: TikTok is synonymous with Gen Z, and they’re supporting the app in this fight with the White House. Among adults age 18 to 24, 62% oppose the executive order to force a sale of TikTok. And 65% of TikTok users oppose it. 

And while TikTik has a -12 percentage point net favorability among the U.S. adult population, it has a +22 net favorability among 18 to 24 year-olds, finds the Fortune-SurveyMonkey poll. Among people who use the app, that net favorability is a staggering +63 percentage points.

Alternate text

But does this add up to fewer votes for Trump? It’s unlikely. Most of the support and opposition for the ban breakdown along party lines: Among Republicans, 79% support the ban compared to just 13% of Democrats. That partisan divide holds true for Americans age 18 to 24—an age group already unlikely to support Tump.

On the flip side, it could potentially increase young voter turnout against Trump. Past history tells us young voters fluctuate up and down between elections more than any other age cohort: In 2008, voter turnout among those under age 30 was at 50%, meanwhile, in 2016 it barely topped 40%.

And with vote registration deadlines nearing, it would likely have to come from younger voters who are already registered.

*Methodology: The Fortune-SurveyMonkey poll was conducted among a national sample of 2,802 adults in the U.S. between July 17-21. This survey’s modeled error estimate is plus or minus 3 percentage points. The findings have been weighted for age, race, sex, education, and geography.

Newsletter-Red-Line-15

This is an excerpt of data from Fortune Analytics, an exclusive newsletter that Fortune Premium subscribers receive as a perk of their subscription. The newsletter shares in-depth research on the most discussed topics in the business world right now. Our findings come from special surveys we run and proprietary data we collect and analyze. Sign up to get the full briefing in your inbox.

About the Author
By Lance LambertFormer Real Estate Editor
Twitter icon

Lance Lambert is a former Fortune editor who contributes to the Fortune Analytics newsletter.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Politics

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Politics

Damn the torpedoes — More ships are quietly slipping through the Strait of Hormuz as helicopters scare off Iran’s fast-attack boats
EnergyIran
Damn the torpedoes — More ships are quietly slipping through the Strait of Hormuz as helicopters scare off Iran’s fast-attack boats
By Jason MaMay 30, 2026
2 hours ago
Americans hurt in Kuwait as Trump sends mixed signals on war
PoliticsIran
Americans hurt in Kuwait as Trump sends mixed signals on war
By Kate Sullivan, Michelle Jamrisko, Gerry Doyle and BloombergMay 30, 2026
4 hours ago
U.S. says deals with Iran for safe Hormuz transit are prohibited
PoliticsIran
U.S. says deals with Iran for safe Hormuz transit are prohibited
By Jack Wittels and BloombergMay 30, 2026
4 hours ago
Trump’s ICE surge cost 668,000 jobs, Brookings report says
PoliticsICE
Trump’s ICE surge cost 668,000 jobs, Brookings report says
By Michael Sasso and BloombergMay 30, 2026
4 hours ago
p
AIPope
Two popes, two industrial revolutions — and one warning for Big AI
By Nick Lichtenberg, Nathan Schneider and The ConversationMay 30, 2026
7 hours ago
pope
Commentaryregulation
The Pope and Anthropic agree: AI Companies cannot govern this alone
By Shlomit WagmanMay 30, 2026
10 hours ago

Most Popular

As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens
Magazine
As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens
By Emma HinchliffeMay 27, 2026
3 days ago
As AI slashes white-collar jobs, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says almost no one is being hired—except in sales
Success
As AI slashes white-collar jobs, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says almost no one is being hired—except in sales
By Emma BurleighMay 28, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 29, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 29, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 29, 2026
1 day ago
Surging Treasury yields expose a brutal truth: America has no margin for error on its $39 trillion debt
Economy
Surging Treasury yields expose a brutal truth: America has no margin for error on its $39 trillion debt
By Shawn TullyMay 30, 2026
12 hours ago
UBS says Ron DeSantis has a problem with his plan to help 92% of homeowners save on property taxes: His own state's data
Personal Finance
UBS says Ron DeSantis has a problem with his plan to help 92% of homeowners save on property taxes: His own state's data
By Nick LichtenbergMay 28, 2026
2 days ago
Jamie Dimon tells Gen Z to 'learn how to think, learn how to earn respect' as he describes 'great meeting' with Zohran Mamdani
Success
Jamie Dimon tells Gen Z to 'learn how to think, learn how to earn respect' as he describes 'great meeting' with Zohran Mamdani
By Nick LichtenbergMay 29, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.