The U.S. Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona, expresses shock at the popularity of Osama bin Laden's letter circulating on TikTok. The two-page document, titled "Letter to America," has caught the attention of young Americans who believe that bin Laden's words resonate with the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The letter was originally published by The Guardian 21 years ago and reposted on TikTok, where it garnered millions of views before being deleted by The Guardian for lacking context.

Some TikTokers have created videos juxtaposing their joy after bin Laden's death in 2011 with their shock upon reading his letter in 2023. The letter accuses the U.S. of various wrongdoings and has been labeled "mind-blowing" and a "revelation" by young pro-Palestinian Americans. This development has raised concerns about misinformation and the consumption of terrorist propaganda by young people.

Secretary Cardona warns parents about the potential for their children to be exposed to misinformation and emphasizes the need to educate students about discerning reliable sources of information. The families of 9/11 victims have strongly condemned the sharing of bin Laden's letter and express their disgust at young TikTok users sympathizing with the terrorist leader. They call on both TikTok and young Americans to seek reliable sources of information and to reject terrorist propaganda.

The popularity of bin Laden's letter on TikTok highlights the platform's influence and raises questions about its potential role in spreading extremist ideologies. It also underscores the importance of media literacy and critical thinking skills in the digital age.