Tech nationalism: Trump’s strategy to own the digital future

Borders are shifting, and the internet isn’t safe from Trump’s America-first vision.

Well, the first few days of Trump’s inauguration have packed a punch. With the immediate attention being on migrant deportations, government reform, and leaving the WHO, what about the long-term technological imprint?

Trump’s second term has morphed very quickly toward a fractured internet, whereby borders are drawn not only on physical maps but digitally too. Signing off various agreements in his first week and beyond, calls for a more modern Trump 2.0 and an increasing sense of Digital Nationalism are growing, but how?

The Americanisation of TikTok

Much like a digital colonizer would, Trump has given the almost-banned platform a 75-day grace period, followed by a potential twist in the tale of a US government acquisition.

If a buyer is soon found, whether Elon Musk, Youtuber Mr Beast, or investor Kevin O’Leary – who has predicted that the TikTok situation will heat up further – then you can bet your bottom dollar that this will see a nationalistic digital streak.

When treading on eggshells, Trump has effectively claimed the title of the main overseer of the destiny of this digital juggernaut.

His “you’ve got 75 days to comply or else” can force Bytedance into making a potentially hasty decision.

In the midst of a lot of uncertainty, the main question is which outlaw will take over the saloon? There are more twists possible here than a Clint Eastwood western.

And if the platform is handed over to an American influencer or celebrity, just how might the platform change under this stewardship? Well, memes, music trends and challenges would certainly convey American values more. There might be a shift away from the so-called “woke” content we saw produced in the boom period of 2020-2022.

But even more telling is what would be done with the magic sauce of the TikTok algorithm, from a business perspective. If a US buyer does end up coming to the rescue, then surely an Americanized TikTok would be used to extract more user data, which in turn can benefit politicians and the tech big boys.

“Freedom of speech” would be rampant, as well as increasingly nationalist views. Louder voices lead to more conflict and a fractured internet.

Strategic alliances with tech’s big cheeses

With Elon on board performing Nazi salutes – of course he knew what he was doing – and Mark Zuckerberg bringing in community notes to Meta, the president has leveraged a direct connection from the White House to Silicon Valley.

Elon Musk's Space X could position the US back into a modern space race, with likely dominance in this sphere.

If Trump’s synergy with Musk continues over the four-year term, then there’s no reason why a digital “Made in America” tag couldn’t be leveraged across AI platforms and 5G data infrastructures.

Trump may be sloganeering economically to the “drill baby drill” demographic by pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement, but he also has a huge segment of disillusioned youth to appeal to. Promising jobs in this digital age is “a must-do” to curb the disillusionment among the younger generations.

Increased scrutiny of foreign tech investments

As Joe Biden mentioned when he signed off, the US has an oligarchical grip on tech. With growing monopolistic control, policies around AI and data ownership are shaping up to keep the big players at the top, locking in foreign investment and tech dominance.

Trump’s influence could pivot the US into a more proactive stance on limiting China’s digital expansion. If his political standing strengthens, he could draw allies like India, Israel, and the UK into a digital coalition to counter China and Iran’s rising digital power – call it a tech war.

This alliance would likely counter Chinese influence by building alternative tech infrastructures and strengthening cybersecurity in key regions.

If Trump aims to fortify digital borders and reinforce American tech sovereignty, further restrictions could target other Chinese tech giants – extending beyond TikTok and intensifying scrutiny on Huawei’s future global influence.

All of this points to a broader push for nationalistic trade deals and protectionist policies. The US would increasingly enforce stringent data sovereignty laws and cybersecurity measures, building a digital fortress while limiting foreign control over crucial tech sectors.

Nationalism meets the blockchain

If launching your own meme coin on Day 1 isn’t a major statement of intent, then what is? Elon most likely played an advisory role in getting buzz around Trump with the crypto community.

It’s already been mooted that the US will venture into a centralized digital currency framework, like a digital dollar, to compete with China’s digital yuan, as Beijing seeks to become the main economic powerhouse globally.

What could also happen is a tightening of regulations surrounding large decentralized crypto platforms, like bitcoin and ethereum, so they don’t fall under the influence of foreign actors.

Speaking broadly, in the wider context of a tech war with China, crypto could be used as a means to leverage American-made currency to slow the rise of China's economic rise. It doesn’t matter if it has a shiba-inu, a pepe frog, or a narcissistic mugshot of Trump himself on it.