Senator states Trump must comply with law mandating ByteDance to sell TikTok by next year
Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat and chair of a U.S. Senate committee, emphasized the necessity for President-elect Donald Trump to comply with a law mandating that Chinese-owned ByteDance divest its widely-used short video app TikTok in the United States by early next year, or face a ban. This was stated during a hearing focused on cybersecurity issues, particularly related to Chinese hacking.
Blumenthal referred to legislation passed by Congress in April amidst growing security apprehensions that China could potentially access American user data or utilize TikTok for espionage. He highlighted that the law stipulates ByteDance must divest from TikTok by January 19, unless President Joe Biden allocates a one-time, 90-day extension. Such an extension could only be granted if ByteDance demonstrates substantial progress toward compliance.
Despite Trump’s prior efforts to ban TikTok in 2020, he has indicated that, if elected again, he would not support a TikTok ban. Blumenthal asserted that Trump cannot disregard the law, stating, “If he wants to change the law, he can try, but sentiment is pretty strong here in favor of that law.”
In addition to TikTok, Blumenthal raised alarm over the connections between prominent tech firms and China, particularly those involving Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, who is actively engaged in Trump’s transition team. He pointed out that Tesla produces nearly half of its vehicles in China and underscored the U.S. Defense Department’s significant reliance on SpaceX technology, suggesting such relationships present a notable risk to national security.
Blumenthal emphasized that the intricate economic ties between U.S. tech companies and China could be exploited, making it a potentially dangerous scenario. He specifically noted that Musk’s Tesla, along with other technology leaders, faces scrutiny due to these connections. Furthermore, he expressed concerns regarding Apple, citing the company’s compliance with China’s censorship and surveillance requirements, and revealing that around 20% of Apple’s sales and 80% of its supplier operations are based in China.
“When forced to choose between American security and profitable access to the Chinese market, there may be doubts about whether SpaceX, Mr. Musk, Tim Cook, and other tech leaders will put America first,” he articulated.
As a response to rising security concerns regarding TikTok, Congress enacted the law with strong bipartisan support, and President Biden approved it in April. Meanwhile, TikTok and ByteDance have initiated legal challenges against this law, with a decision pending from a U.S. appeals court in the coming weeks.
The current law prohibits app stores, including those run by Apple and Alphabet’s Google, from featuring TikTok and restricts internet hosting services from supporting it unless ByteDance complies with the divestiture deadline. The Biden administration has indicated a preference for ending Chinese ownership of TikTok for national security reasons, rather than pursuing an outright ban on the app itself. TikTok has not provided any comment on these developments.