{"id":2391563,"date":"2025-01-17T08:26:01","date_gmt":"2025-01-17T13:26:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-shouldnt-waste-his-political-capital-on-saving-tiktok\/"},"modified":"2025-01-17T08:26:34","modified_gmt":"2025-01-17T13:26:34","slug":"trump-shouldnt-waste-his-political-capital-on-saving-tiktok","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-shouldnt-waste-his-political-capital-on-saving-tiktok\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump Shouldn\u2019t Waste His Political Capital On &#8216;Saving&#8217; TikTok"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-shouldnt-waste-his-political-capital-on-saving-tiktok%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2391563&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>As \u200cthe \u2063deadline for TikTok&#8217;s\u200b potential ban nears, urgency grows \u200bfollowing the bipartisan legislation passed by \u200bthe U.S. Congress eight months prior, requiring its Chinese \u2063parent company, ByteDance, to divest the app by January 19, 2025, or face a ban in the \u200dUnited States. The law aims to protect national security by addressing\u200c concerns about the Chinese Communist Party&#8217;s (CCP) \u200baccess to data from U.S. users.\u200b Instead of complying, ByteDance has chosen\u2064 to engage in legal battles and misrepresent the\u2062 situation to the public, claiming a ban\u200c would infringe \u200don \u2063free \u200dspeech rights. However, the arguments presented have been undermined\u2062 by evidence \u2062of TikTok&#8217;s compliance with the CCP&#8217;s censorship practices.<\/p>\n<p>A U.S. federal court has upheld the legislation,stating it is designed to defend\u2062 American \u200cfree speech from foreign \u200badversaries. as TikTok prepares for a crucial Supreme Court decision, President-elect Donald Trump has intervened, seeking to delay the ruling to negotiate a divestment \u2063deal. This move has raised questions about\u2063 his \u2064motives, given \u200dhis past efforts to ban the \u2064app. Meanwhile, reports suggest that the CCP may be open to negotiations regarding a potential sale\u2063 of TikTok\u2019s U.S. operations, notably to Elon Musk, who has favorable views of China and significant business relations there. The Supreme Court&#8217;s ruling is highly anticipated, with\u2063 implications for the future of the app\u200b in the U.S.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>The deadline for TikTok is fast approaching, creating a sense of urgency as we near this weekend.<\/p>\n<p>Just over eight months ago, the U.S. Congress, in a rare display of bipartisan cooperation, passed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2024\/04\/23\/tech\/congress-tiktok-ban-what-next\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">legislation<\/a> signed into law by President Joe Biden. This law requires TikTok&rsquo;s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest the app and secure a new owner by Jan. 19, 2025, or face a ban in the United States &mdash; a deadline that falls on this Sunday. The intent of this legislation is clear: to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-slam-psakis-space-force-slight\/\" title=\"Republicans Slam Psaki\u2019s Space Force Slight\">safeguard national security<\/a> by addressing the legitimate concerns that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could access the data from 170 million U.S. users and manipulate it.<\/p>\n<p>Instead of pursuing a swift divestment, ByteDance and TikTok&rsquo;s leadership have opted to engage in prolonged legal battles, trying to overturn the legislation in court. Their tactic has involved misleading the public, framing the law as an outright ban while neglecting to acknowledge the possibility of divestment. They claim that banning the app constitutes censorship and infringes upon American users&rsquo; free speech rights. This argument is deeply flawed; as a Chinese company, ByteDance is vulnerable to the influence of the CCP, known for its <a href=\"https:\/\/rlo.acton.org\/archives\/122326-jimmy-lai-mogul-pro-democracy-activist-and-communist-chinas-biggest-target-in-fight-to-suppress-free-speech.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">severe suppression<\/a> of free expression. <\/p>\n<p>The stakes are too high to ignore &mdash; protecting American data and upholding national security must come first.<\/p>\n<p>Rather than being a champion of free speech, TikTok is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2019\/sep\/25\/revealed-how-tiktok-censors-videos-that-do-not-please-beijing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">known<\/a> to extend the CCP&rsquo;s censorship to non-Chinese citizens, including Americans. For example, the TikTok account of Feroza Aziz, an American TikTok star, was deleted after she posted a video criticizing Beijing&rsquo;s mass internment of Uyghur Muslims. Her account was only reinstated after public outrage.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, a U.S. federal court saw through TikTok&rsquo;s flawed rationale. In December 2024, the court <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/12\/13\/court-rejects-tiktoks-bid-to-control-americans-and-be-controlled-by-the-ccp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ruled<\/a> in favor of the law, <a href=\"https:\/\/storage.courtlistener.com\/recap\/gov.uscourts.cadc.40861\/gov.uscourts.cadc.40861.1208687460.0_4.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">emphasizing<\/a> to ByteDance and their American attorneys: &ldquo;The First Amendment exists to protect free speech in the United States. Here the Government acted solely to protect that freedom from a foreign adversary nation and to limit that adversary&rsquo;s ability to gather data on people in the United States.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In a desperate attempt to salvage their situation, TikTok appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. However, during last Friday&rsquo;s hearing, the majority of justices <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/us-news\/law\/tiktok-ban-supreme-court-hearing-9b19b618?mod=article_inline\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">appeared<\/a> unconvinced by TikTok&rsquo;s First Amendment claims. ByteDance further undermined its argument by <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/HRaleighspeaks\/status\/1877924436466360545\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">stating<\/a> that divestment isn&rsquo;t feasible because TikTok&rsquo;s source code and engineering are under the control of its Chinese parent company. This <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">revelation confirmed suspicions held<\/a> by critics who have long viewed the app as a tool of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-supporters-are-enemies-of-the-state-according-to-new-york-times-reporter\/\" title=\"Trump Supporters Are \u2018Enemies Of The State\u2019 According To New York Times Reporter\">legitimate national security threat<\/a> to the United States.<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule this Friday, likely <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalreview.com\/corner\/tiktoks-bad-day-at-the-supreme-court\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">against<\/a> TikTok, which could see the app removed from U.S. stores by Sunday.<\/p>\n<p>Just as TikTok faces a potential ban in a few days, an unexpected twist occurred. President-elect Donald Trump surprised many by deciding to use his political influence to save the app. At the end of December 2024, he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/opinion\/trump-tries-to-save-tiktok-from-the-law-supreme-court-china-2a82cf85?mod=editorials_more_article_pos40\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">filed a brief<\/a> asking the Supreme Court to delay its ruling until after Jan. 19, aiming to negotiate a divestment deal for TikTok.<\/p>\n<p>Trump&rsquo;s intervention is noteworthy, especially considering that during his first term Trump sought to ban TikTok, only to have a federal court <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2020\/12\/07\/944039053\/u-s-judge-halts-trumps-tiktok-ban-the-2nd-court-to-fully-block-the-action\/RK=2\/RS=jM32FWRTXMxzybShtLJBGWvWFVE-\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">block<\/a> his order. Speculation suggests that he may have reconsidered his stance due to TikTok&rsquo;s potential role in boosting his appeal among young voters. Additionally, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefp.com\/p\/could-trump-buy-tiktok-joe-nocera\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">rumors<\/a> are swirling that figures in Trump&rsquo;s circle might be interested in purchasing TikTok himself, adding yet another agitating element to this unfolding saga, and TikTok CEO Shou Chew will <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/politics\/tiktok-ceo-planning-to-attend-trumps-inauguration-a7b9a959?mod=hp_lead_pos2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reportedly<\/a> be seated with Trump&rsquo;s &ldquo;high-profile guests&rdquo; at Monday&rsquo;s inauguration ceremony.<\/p>\n<p>Until now, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has staunchly opposed any legislation aimed at divestment from its interests. Recently, however, The Wall Street Journal <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/tech\/china-officials-internally-discuss-option-of-tiktok-sale-to-musk-bac0a224?mod=hp_lead_pos4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a> that Chinese officials are showing a surprising openness to the prospect of Elon Musk investing in or potentially acquiring TikTok&rsquo;s U.S. operations.<\/p>\n<p>The CCP&rsquo;s preference for Musk seems strategic for several compelling reasons. Musk consistently <a href=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/changing-america\/sustainability\/infrastructure\/561109-elon-musk-praises-china-on-communist-party\/RK=2\/RS=mBNYQJIIf7tZpvbUXrdypdPYDCg-\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">lauds<\/a> China and its government, likely due to his substantial business ties there. Tesla&rsquo;s Shanghai facility stands as the company&rsquo;s largest factory, producing an astonishing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/elon-musk-business-ties-china-2006722\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">50<\/a> percent of its global vehicle output. This gives the CCP a unique opportunity to view Musk&rsquo;s interests as a leverage point to sway negotiations. <\/p>\n<p>Most critically, Musk&rsquo;s apparent rapport with President-elect Trump allows the CCP to believe it can influence the incoming administration&rsquo;s China policy and mitigate the effects of the China hawks among Trump cabinet appointments, like secretary of state nominee Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.<\/p>\n<p>As a long-time critic of TikTok, I urge President-elect Trump to reconsider investing his political capital in &ldquo;saving&rdquo; TikTok. This app is not worth the effort. Beyond being a national security risk, TikTok has a troubling reputation for &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefp.com\/p\/jay-solomon-pro-china-tik-tok-brainwashes-american-youth\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">brainwashing<\/a>&rdquo; American youth. Recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefp.com\/p\/jay-solomon-pro-china-tik-tok-brainwashes-american-youth\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">research<\/a> highlights this alarming trend: &ldquo;The more time users spent on TikTok, the more positively they view China&rsquo;s human rights record and its appeal as a travel destination.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>We must prioritize the protection of our youth from such insidious influences. Why would the president of the United States wish to empower an app controlled by our adversaries to distort the perspectives of young Americans?<\/p>\n<p>Divesting TikTok&rsquo;s ownership is not a viable solution either. Although the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) may seem open to scenarios where someone close to Trump, such as Elon Musk, invests in TikTok&rsquo;s U.S. operations, there is no evidence to suggest that ByteDance will relinquish control of the app&rsquo;s source code or algorithm. If that remains the case, acquiring a mere shell of TikTok U.S. is futile, as the new owner would stay under the CCP&rsquo;s influence. Furthermore, delaying the Supreme Court&rsquo;s ruling and giving TikTok a last-minute reprieve undermines the integrity of the U.S. congressional legislative process and damages our country&rsquo;s reputation regarding the rule of law.<\/p>\n<p>Starting next week, Trump will encounter significant challenges, from immigration and inflation to the Russia-Ukraine war and conflicts in the Middle East. He has pressing matters to address. He must focus on these critical issues rather than TikTok. Letting TikTok go and enforcing the ban it deserves is the right course of action.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<div>\n<p>      Helen Raleigh, CFA, is an American entrepreneur, writer, and speaker. She&#8217;s a senior contributor at The Federalist. Her writings appear in other national media, including The Wall Street Journal and Fox News.  Helen is the author of several books, including &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Confucius-Never-Said-Helen-Raleigh\/dp\/1499185278\/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&amp;keywords=Helen+Raleigh+Confucius+Never+Said&amp;qid=1606079469&amp;sr=8-1\">Confucius Never Said<\/a>&#8221; and &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Backlash-How-Chinas-Aggression-Backfired\/dp\/1736008501\/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=1606006113&amp;sr=8-1\">Backlash: How Communist China&#8217;s Aggression Has Backfired<\/a>.&#8221; Her latest book is the 2nd edition of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Broken-Welcome-Mat-unAmerican-immigration-ebook\/dp\/B0C44QSPJ9\/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3HFXEVT236ZRW&amp;keywords=The+Broken+welcome+mat+book&amp;qid=1683127487&amp;sprefix=the+broken+welcome+mat+book%2Caps%2C135&amp;sr=8-3\">&ldquo;The Broken Welcome Mat: America&rsquo;s UnAmerican immigration policy, and how we should fix it.&rdquo;<\/a>   Follow her on Parler and Twitter: @HRaleighspeaks.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>TikTok&#8217;s deadline is nearing, urging action this weekend<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":536,"featured_media":2391564,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Copy-of-Untitled-2025-01-16T163103.720.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[33161,32364,6248,3634],"class_list":["post-2391563","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-political-capital","tag-social-media","tag-tiktok","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Copy-of-Untitled-2025-01-16T163103.720.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2391563","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/536"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2391563"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2391563\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2391567,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2391563\/revisions\/2391567"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2391564"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2391563"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2391563"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2391563"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}