Decoding Two Key Trump Policy Changes Through an Exclusive Interview

Sign up for free to receive a version of this story in CNN's What Matters newsletter. Former President Donald Trump's politics usually revolve around himself rather than a specific ideology. However, two recent developments - regarding Social Security and TikTok - indicate a shift in focus.

Both Trump and President Joe Biden are gearing up to promote their policy positions as they prepare for their general election rematch. Biden has made a strategic shift on border policy to address the border crisis and draw support away from Trump. In contrast, Trump's recent comments on TikTok and Social Security during an interview on CNBC indicate confusion about Social Security and mixed feelings about TikTok.

During the interview, Trump mentioned potential cuts to Social Security.

Trump has always promised to protect benefits during his political career, which is a departure from traditional Republican views on deficit spending. Social Security was a major issue in the Republican presidential primary, with Trump accusing his opponents of trying to cut benefits for older Americans.

Currently, Trump's stance on Social Security is unclear. In a recent telephone interview on CNBC, he seemed to indicate a willingness to consider cuts. Here is a snippet of Trump's conversation with CNBC's Joe Kernen:

KERNEN: The national debt has reached around $33 to $34 trillion, and cutting spending is becoming increasingly difficult. Discretionary spending alone won't solve the problem. Have your views on managing entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid changed, Mr. President? It seems necessary to take action, or else our debt to GDP ratio will remain high indefinitely.

TRUMP: There are definitely ways to address entitlement programs through cutting costs and improving management. The current management of these programs is not efficient. Despite concerns about weakening social security, there are various strategies that can be implemented to improve the situation. So, I don't fully agree with the idea that nothing can be done. The strength of our country is interconnected with the management of these programs.

Trump’s lengthy response covered various topics such as the stock market, increasing oil drilling in the US, inflation, and his belief that he is not adequately recognized for his economic achievements and efforts to combat ISIS during his time in office.

President Joe Biden’s campaign wasted no time in pointing out that Trump does not always oppose reducing entitlements.

Karoline Leavitt, Trump's campaign spokesperson, stated that Trump was focusing on reducing unnecessary spending, not on cutting entitlements.

CNN's Abby Phillip highlighted that Trump has faced challenges in balancing his promise to safeguard Social Security with addressing the increasing national debt.

Watch:

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Trump made promises to never touch Social Security. Hear what he thinks about it now

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Trump may have given a confusing response about Social Security, but it's important for a presidential candidate to be ready to discuss social safety net spending, especially if it was a key focus of their campaign. His answer didn't address the bigger issue raised by Kernen about the financial troubles facing Social Security and Medicare. Both the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department agree that the US government's current path is not sustainable. The only candidate who was seriously talking about reforming safety net spending this year, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, lost to Trump partly because of her focus on this issue.

On TikTok, Trump’s flip is more obvious and more complete

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Trump changes tune on TikTok

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During his presidency, he signed executive orders aiming to make ByteDance, the China-linked parent company of TikTok, sell the popular social media app as part of a broader anti-China campaign while in office. However, this move was blocked by federal courts as his term came to an end. Despite this, ByteDance started Project Texas to prevent US users' data from going to China, but this initiative is still in progress. The US intelligence community has consistently raised concerns about TikTok being owned by Chinese entities due to national security risks. Nonetheless, the app's user base in the US continues to expand, with approximately 170 million Americans actively using it.

House Republicans and some Democrats are moving forward with a vote on a new law that would require ByteDance to either spin off TikTok in about five months or be banned from US app stores, similar to Trump's executive orders.

However, Trump has now shifted his focus to Facebook, calling it "an enemy of the people," and does not appear to be as concerned about forcing ByteDance to spin off TikTok.

Trump mentioned in a CNBC interview that there are many TikTok users who love the platform, especially young kids who would be upset if it were banned.

On the other hand, Biden has indicated he may approve a bill to ban TikTok, although there is a possibility that an alternative solution could be considered. Groups like the ACLU believe that prohibiting an app where millions of Americans share their thoughts could infringe on their First Amendment rights, leading to potential legal battles if the legislation goes through. For a more detailed analysis of the proposed bill and its impact on TikTok, check out CNN's Brian Fung's report.

Another important factor to think about is Trump's recent meeting with GOP donor Jeff Yass, who reportedly has a significant investment in TikTok. This means he has a financial stake in opposing the House bill. Yass has also stated that he strongly supports freedom of speech and does not agree with targeting TikTok for that reason.

Former Trump advisor Steve Bannon even implied that Trump's decision on TikTok was influenced by Yass. However, Trump himself mentioned in an interview with CNBC that they did not talk about the app during their meeting.

“I met with him very briefly. I made a speech and I said hello to him and his wife was lovely,” Trump said, adding that they talked about her ideas on education.

Editor's P/S:

Former President Trump's recent statements on Social Security and TikTok indicate a shift in his political priorities. While he has traditionally focused on self-promotion, he now seems to be considering cuts to Social Security and has softened his stance on TikTok, a Chinese-owned social media app that he previously sought to ban. These changes may be due to his desire to appeal to a broader range of voters in the upcoming presidential election.

Trump's willingness to consider cuts to Social Security is particularly noteworthy, given that he has long pledged to protect the program. However, the increasing national debt and concerns about the program's long-term solvency may have led him to reconsider his position. It remains to be seen how his supporters will react to this potential change in policy, but it is clear that Trump is willing to make adjustments to his platform in order to win votes.