U.S. Senate GOP Thwarts TikTok’s Rescue, Even as CEO Prepares to Meet Trump at Inauguration

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized Republicans on Thursday for blocking an attempt to extend TikTok’s operational timeline in the United States. This happens as the platform’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, is set to attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.

The deadline for TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to either sell the app or face a ban in U.S. app stores is looming on Sunday. Without intervention from the U.S. Supreme Court, this deadline stands as mandated by bipartisan lawmakers and President Joe Biden.

Schumer emphasized on the Senate floor that the timeline is insufficient, stating, “More time is needed to find an American buyer and not disrupt the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans.” According to TikTok, the platform boasts approximately 170 million American users.

In a bid to extend the deadline, Senate Democrats brought forward a bill, but it was blocked by Republican Senators Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Pete Ricketts of Nebraska. Schumer expressed his astonishment at the opposition, noting the urgency of finding a solution before the deadline.

Cotton countered that ByteDance had ample warning about the potential for legislative action. He recalled previous attempts by the Trump administration in 2020 to shut down TikTok, asserting, “We didn’t pull the rug out from under TikTok, and we didn’t ban it.” He emphasized the necessity of ensuring the app was not controlled by “our nation’s worst enemy, communist China.”

Concerns about national security associated with TikTok led to a bipartisan push that culminated in legislation signed by Biden last April. A preliminary vote in March had overwhelming support in the U.S. House, passing 352-65.

Despite the impending deadline, sources indicate that Biden is exploring options to keep TikTok operational. The White House did not comment on requests for confirmation from States Newsroom.

Donald Trump, who previously signed an executive order to ban TikTok unless it separated from ByteDance, reversed his stance last year. Sources have confirmed that Chew will be seated prominently during Trump’s swearing-in ceremony.

TikTok has taken legal action against the law mandating the sale of the app, appealing to the Supreme Court. While the Justices heard arguments last Friday, a decision on whether to block the sale requirement has yet to be announced.

TikTok’s legal representative, Noel Francisco, clarified during a press conference that while ByteDance is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, 21% ownership is held by a Chinese national residing in Singapore. Furthermore, he asserted that TikTok’s algorithm source code is housed on servers located in Virginia.