House GOP Defies Trump on TikTok as Bill Heads to Vote

The House of Representatives is set for a showdown as House GOP leaders push forward with a bill targeting the popular social media app TikTok, defying former President Trump’s recent endorsement of the platform.

The bill, known as the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, aims to ban TikTok from U.S. app stores unless its parent company, ByteDance, agrees to divest the app.

Co-authored by Reps. Mike Gallagher and Raja Krishnamoorthi, the bipartisan effort gained momentum after a unanimous vote in the select committee investigating China‘s influence.

Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who led the bill through the committee, emphasized the choice TikTok faces between retaining ties to China or selling to operate in the U.S.

While Trump and TikTok’s CEO Shou Zi Chew have raised concerns about national security threats posed by the Chinese government, House GOP members like Anna Paulina Luna are resolute in their stand against potential surveillance risks.

FBI Director Christopher Wray and bipartisan lawmakers share worries about China’s manipulation through TikTok, sparking the urgency behind the legislative push.

Despite Trump’s pivot on the issue, prominent Republicans, including Mario Diaz-Balart, remain steadfast in their support for the bill, underscoring the party’s stance on safeguarding against foreign influence.

TikTok, mobilizing its vast user base, employs in-app messaging campaigns to rally support and is engaged in lobbying efforts to thwart the bill’s passage in Congress.

As the bill heads to the Senate, the tech-world skirmish intensifies with all eyes on how the upper chamber will navigate the contentious debate surrounding TikTok’s future in the U.S.