US. President Donald Trump’s recent comments about TikTok reflect a shift in his stance on the platform. While his administration previously sought to ban TikTok due to concerns about data privacy and national security, Trump is now expressing concerns about efforts by U.S. lawmakers to force ByteDance, the Chinese owner of TikTok, to divest the platform.
Trump’s claim that banning TikTok could lead to increased business for Facebook suggests a less adversarial stance towards TikTok compared to his earlier attempts to ban it. However, his campaign has not provided further clarification on his position regarding the proposed legislation.
The legislation in question would require ByteDance to divest TikTok within six months, or else TikTok would effectively be banned in the United States. President Joe Biden has expressed willingness to sign the legislation if passed by Congress, and it has garnered support from prominent Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Leader Steve Scalise, as well as former Vice President Mike Pence.
TikTok has criticized the proposed legislation, arguing that it amounts to a ban and infringes on users’ right to free expression. The company maintains that it has not shared U.S. user data with the Chinese government and questions whether China would approve any sale of the platform.
