Trump’s team wanted him to do TikToks in run up to 6 January to whip up ‘Stop the Steal’ despite fact he tried to ban platform

Giuliani ally handed ‘10 day’ communications plan to House panel ahead of riot anniversary

Donald Trump was asked to appear on TikTok by his closest advisers ahead of 6 January and his “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington DC, according to a newly released document.

The former president, who had spent months alleging the election was stolen by Democrats, was reportedly advised by Rudy Giuliani to appear on the video platform to promote his rally event.

“TIKTOK*** WE have to use TIKTOK!!,” the document read. “Content goes VIRAL here like no other platform!!!!! And there are MILLIONS of Trump supporters! It would be amazing if POTUS would use the platform actually.”

It was a part of a “10 day” communications plan for Mr Trump to become “the biggest account ever” on the Chinese-owned social media platform, and was drawn-up by Mr Giuliani and the “Presidential Legal Defense Team” 10 days before 6 January.

The 22-page document argued that by appearing on TikTok, Mr Trump would have been able to apply pressure to former vice president Mike Pence and members of Congress to overthrow the results of 2020’s election.

While Mr Pence decided not to comply, Mr Trump did not go on to appear on TikTok, which his administration had sought to ban new downloads of in 2020 amid a trade and security war with Beijing.

The former president also targeted TikTok in campaign videos, and alleged that it was spying on US citizens.

The ban was later reversed by President Joe Biden and the company has rebuked such allegations – although US security officials have warned that other Chinese technology firms may present a security challenge

The Giuliani-Trump communications strategy was handed to Congress and the House committee investigating the Capitol attack by Timothy Parlatore, an attorney representing former New York City Police commissioner and ally of Mr Giuliani, Bernard Kerik, according to Politico.

Mr Kerik, who was due to be interviewed by the committee this month, also reportedly provided other documents that outlined potential ways in which Mr Trump could “sieze evidence” of so-called election fraud to stop 6 January 2021’s certification of Mr Biden’s win.

That appeared to be in addition to the plan known as the “Eastman memo”, in which a lawyer for Mr Trump argued that Mr Pence could throwout results in contested states to overturn the 2020 election.