Former Vice President Mike Pence has called on Congress to take action against the popular video-sharing app TikTok, alleging that the Chinese-owned platform is exerting undue influence on young users. Pence commended the House Energy and Commerce Committee for its unanimous approval of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act this week.
The proposed legislation, currently awaiting review by the full House, includes provisions that could lead to a ban on TikTok unless its parent company, ByteDance, relinquishes control of the app. Pence emphasized the need to address what he sees as China’s manipulation of American youth, declaring, “The era of appeasing the Chinese Communist Party is over.”
In a statement shared on social media platform X, Pence criticized politicians who claim to be tough on China while supporting TikTok’s dissemination of CCP-approved content worldwide. He asserted, “China is poisoning the minds of American children. Enough is enough.” Pence urged Congress to swiftly pass the legislation mandating the sale of TikTok, with President Biden urged to promptly sign it into law.
Pence credited his previous efforts, including a 2020 executive order signed by then-President Donald Trump, which mandated ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a ban.
However, this action faced legal challenges and was ultimately thwarted by federal judges. Notably, Trump has since changed his stance on TikTok, suggesting that banning the app would benefit Meta platforms like Facebook, which he argues faced unfair competition.
Taking to the platform Truth Social, Trump asserted, “If you get rid of TikTok, Facebook and Zuckerschmuck will double their business.” He criticized Facebook, alleging electoral interference and labeling them as “a true Enemy of the People.”
The bipartisan bill enjoys widespread support, as evidenced by its unanimous committee approval. President Biden has expressed readiness to sign the legislation into law once passed by Congress.
