White House urges Senate to approve TikTok ban after House vote

The White House on Wednesday urged the Senate to speedily approve legislation that would require Chinese firm ByteDance to divest form social media platform TikTok or face a ban on its operation in the U.S.

The lower chamber approved the legislation in a 352-65 vote on Wednesday. The measure has drawn some concerns from conservative figures, including both former President Donald Trump and Kentucky GOP Sen. Rand Paul. President Joe Biden, for his part, has indicated he would sign the bill into law should it reach his desk.

Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that "[w]e will look to the Senate to take swift action," according to The Hill. "[T]his bill is important and we welcome ongoing efforts to address the threat posed by certain technology services operating in the United States that put at risk Americans’ personal information and broader national security, including through the manipulation by foreign powers of Americans’ views and beliefs."

TikTok is a video-based social media app owned by ByteDance that has long attracted scrutiny over its handling of user data and the parent company's close relationship with the Chinese government.

Trump, for his part, previously sought to ban TikTok or force its sale to an American firm, though his effects did not succeed. Last week, he warned that the elimination of TikTok would consolidate social media access further and strengthen Facebook.

"If you get rid of TikTok, Facebook and Zuckerschmuck will double their business. I don’t want Facebook, who cheated in the last Election, doing better. They are a true Enemy of the People!" he posted on Truth Social.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.