A coalition of 18 Republican lawmakers has called on President Joe Biden to deactivate his campaign’s TikTok account, citing concerns about national security. In a letter obtained by Reuters, the lawmakers criticized Biden for overlooking the well-documented security risks associated with the popular short-video app.
The letter highlighted the contradiction of the federal government warning Americans about TikTok’s risks while the commander-in-chief actively uses the platform. Biden’s campaign recently joined TikTok as part of efforts to engage with younger voters, amassing over 9.6 million views on its initial video and gaining approximately 162,000 followers.
Senators Marco Rubio, Jerry Moran, John Barrasso, Marsha Blackburn, Rick Scott, and Josh Hawley were among those urging Biden to delete the account and publicly acknowledge TikTok’s national security threat.
While the White House, TikTok, and the Biden campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the letter, Democratic Senator Mark Warner previously voiced concerns about TikTok’s security implications. He emphasized the need to address the platform’s risks, referencing India’s decision to ban TikTok.
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley echoed calls to ban TikTok, emphasizing its perceived dangers during a Fox News event. Despite efforts in Congress to restrict TikTok, including proposals to add its parent company ByteDance to an export control list, progress has been limited.
TikTok informed Congress that its user base in the US had grown to 170 million, up from 150 million the previous year. Additionally, a ban on the use of TikTok on government devices, enacted by Congress and signed by Biden in 2022, remains in effect.
Although the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) previously demanded TikTok’s Chinese owners divest their shares or face a potential ban, no action has been taken by the Biden administration. Concerns persist about the platform’s security implications, prompting renewed calls for action from lawmakers.
