US House Republicans are standing against any TikTok deal that would allow Chinese owner ByteDance to maintain a stake in the app.
TikTok faces a forced sale or a nationwide ban if a deal is not finalized by the April 5 deadline. President Donald Trump appears open to a deal that leaves some involvement for the Chinese company.
Lawmakers such as Michigan Republican John Moolenaar have warned that any arrangement giving ByteDance continued control is a grave threat to US security and a violation of American law.
At a TikTok Coalition event on Thursday, Moolenaar said, “Any deal that allows ByteDance to maintain control of TikTok is a grave threat to our security and a violation of US law. If ByteDance stays involved in any way, the deal is illegal – plain and simple.”
Recent reports indicate that a prospective deal would allow ByteDance to retain a stake in TikTok. Under the proposal, data collection and software updates would be overseen by Oracle.
The move is part of talks led by the White House, centered on a “qualified divestiture.”
The law mandates that a foreign adversary must no longer control the app, defined as holding a stake of 20 percent or more, while leaving room for the president to set the terms.
President Trump is eager to “save” the app and would go to extra lengths. He has not clearly stated whether he would support ByteDance having a partial role in TikTok.
On Wednesday, he said he might lower tariffs on China to secure Beijing’s support and would consider extending the April 5 deadline if no agreement is reached.
The law originally set the deadline as January 19 with a one-time 90-day extension for progress, and Trump had extended it on his first day in office after a call with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The forced sale law, passed last year as part of a foreign aid package, was enacted amid concerns that TikTok’s Chinese ownership might allow Beijing to conduct influence operations against the United States.
While the law mandates a divestiture, free speech advocates warn that a ban would restrict Americans’ access to foreign media. It would violate the First Amendment. The Supreme Court upheld the law in January, maintaining pressure on TikTok to separate from its Chinese owner.
Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts stated that the US intelligence community had “no information” that ByteDance manipulated TikTok content to favor the Chinese government.
On Monday, Markey, along with Senators Cory Booker and Chris Van Hollen, sent a letter urging Trump to work with Congress on a legal basis for any extension. Earlier this year, they and Representative Ro Khanna of California introduced a bill to extend the original January 19 deadline by 270 days.
Some Republicans want pure TikTok divestiture
Florida Republican Representative Kat Cammack called for “an absolute pure divestiture” on Thursday.
Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, known as one of the strongest supporters, has yet to firmly take a stand on the need for complete divestiture, with reports indicating he is allowing the White House to handle the negotiations.
When asked about President Trump’s recent remarks, Guo Jiakun, spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, said Beijing has stated its position on TikTok on multiple occasions. He added that China’s opposition to extra tariffs is “consistent and clear.”
In January, China’s foreign ministry also expressed openness to a TikTok deal, noting that acquisitions should be “decided independently by companies” according to the law. Some reports have suggested that TikTok’s algorithm may be subject to export controls by China’s commerce ministry.
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