More US action on TikTok, WeChat to be expected, White House adviser says
- The Trump administration is ‘just getting started’ with the two apps, said White House adviser Peter Navarro on Sunday
- He indicated that even if TikTok is sold to an American buyer, it would not solve the problem
The Trump administration is “just getting started” with the two apps, and he would not rule out the US banning them, Navarro said on Fox News on Sunday. Even if TikTok is sold to an American buyer, it would not solve the problem, he said.
“If TikTok separates as an American company, that doesn’t help us,” Navarro said. “Because it’s going to be worse – we’re going to have to give China billions of dollars for the privilege of having TikTok operate on US soil.”
Trump said last week his administration is considering banning the short video app TikTok in the US.
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Pompeo says US considering ban on TikTok and other Chinese apps, praises Google, Facebook, Twitter
The examination of TikTok was part of a broader effort to protect American citizens’ private data, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo had said. Navarro did not specify which action the administration might take.
TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, is popular among teens in the US. WeChat, owned by Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings, is the top communications app in mainland China and used by Chinese users globally.
TikTok has drawn concern among US officials and corporate America is looking into its use among staff. Wells Fargo & Co asked employees to remove TikTok from their work phones because of security concerns.
TikTok’s Chinese owner mulls overhaul of app’s corporate structure amid overseas backlash
Navarro alleged that Amazon’s decision to “back away” shows the “power of the Chinese Communist Party on corporate America”.
TikTok has repeatedly denied allegations that it poses a threat to US national security. The app operator is mulling changes to its corporate structure to distance itself from China. TikTok is considering a number of locations for a global base, a person familiar with the plans told Bloomberg earlier. Its five largest offices are in Los Angeles, New York, London, Dublin and Singapore.
Putting “an American puppet” in charge is not going to work, Navarro said.
