U.S. Senate Republicans Halt TikTok Rescue Amid CEO’s Meeting with Trump at Inauguration

WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized Republicans on Thursday for obstructing a crucial effort to keep TikTok operational in the United States. This comes as the platform’s CEO is set to attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Bipartisan lawmakers and President Joe Biden have issued a deadline for TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to either sell the app or face a ban in U.S. app stores. Without intervention from the Supreme Court, Sunday serves as the cut-off date for compliance.

Schumer emphasized the need for additional time to secure an American buyer for TikTok, arguing that millions of American users and influencers depend on the platform. He stated, “That’s why, last night, Senate Democrats tried to pass a bill to extend the deadline, but Senate Republicans blocked our bill, which is stunning because time is running short.”

According to TikTok, around 170 million Americans utilize the app, underscoring its significant impact on daily life.

Republican Senators Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Pete Ricketts of Nebraska opposed the deadline extension initiated by Democratic Senators Ed Markey, Ron Wyden, and Cory Booker. Cotton contended that ByteDance had ample warning before the current regulatory action, noting that the Trump administration tried to restrict TikTok in 2020.

He remarked, “We didn’t pull the rug out from under TikTok… Congress simply demanded that the app could no longer be owned and controlled by our nation’s worst enemy, communist China.”

Legislators from both sides of the aisle voted last April to pass the law, which Biden subsequently signed. The initial House vote received overwhelming bipartisan support, with a tally of 352 in favor and 65 against.

However, NBC News reports that Biden does not intend to enforce the law during his final day in office. This decision leaves the responsibility to the incoming Trump administration to impose penalties on app stores or hosting companies that continue offering TikTok after the deadline.

While Biden seeks options to maintain TikTok’s availability past the deadline, the White House has yet to respond to media requests for confirmation on this matter.

Notably, Trump, who previously signed an executive order to ban TikTok unless it divested from ByteDance, altered his stance last year. A source close to the inauguration confirmed that TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will be seated prominently during Trump’s swearing-in ceremony on Monday.

Following the law’s enactment, TikTok has filed a legal challenge, appealing to the Supreme Court. Arguments were heard on Friday, but a ruling on the appeal to block the enforcement is still pending.

TikTok asserts that it is not under Chinese ownership. According to the company, ByteDance is based in the Cayman Islands, although a Chinese national, residing in Singapore, holds a 21% stake. Additionally, TikTok’s algorithm source code is stored on servers located in Virginia.

Last updated 3:24 p.m., Jan. 16, 2025