President Donald Trump sent TikTok users into a tizzy on Friday when he announced plans to ban the platform in the United States, as ABC News reported.
But though many expressed outrage at the decision, lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle are now saying he was right.
Trouble with TikTok
According to USA Today, TikTok first started making headway in the U.S. in August 2018, and since then, the Chinese-owned app has been on the radar of American officials. The app is mostly used by teenagers to share short, usually humorous videos, but security concerns related to the platform have prompted the White House to act.
“We’re banning them from the United States,” Trump told reporters Friday, according to ABC.
It didn’t take long for the proposal to receive bipartisan support.
As The Hill reported, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican, defended Trump’s proposal on Saturday, writing in a tweet that Trump is “right to want to make sure” that Americans’ private data isn’t compromised.
Graham wrote:
To fans and users of #TikTok I understand your concerns.
However President Trump is right to want to make sure that the Chinese Communist Party doesn’t own TikTok and most importantly — all of your private data.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) August 1, 2020
Shut it down
That message was echoed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat who doesn’t often side with Trump. But this time, it seems the issue is too important to play partisan games.
Reacting to news that Microsoft is in talks to purchase the China-based app, Schumer said Sunday that he has been “very opposed” to the platform. “I have urged that TikTok be closed down in America,” Schumer said, according to The Hill.
Sen. Schumer: “I have been very opposed to TikTok… I have urged that TikTok be closed down in America.” pic.twitter.com/LtsxALe8RP
— The Hill (@thehill) August 2, 2020
It remains to be seen whether an acquisition by Microsoft will be enough to save TikTok in the U.S. But for now, it’s nice to see that lawmakers on all sides are interested in keeping Americans safe. It’s a rare occurrence, indeed.
