Republican Lawmakers Call on Biden Campaign to Cease Use of TikTok

Two Republican lawmakers are urging President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign to halt its use of TikTok due to its ownership by ByteDance, which has connections to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

“Despite signing legislation into law acknowledging the national security threat posed by TikTok, Joe Biden’s presidential campaign continues using TikTok, blatantly ignoring the grave concerns his own administration’s officials have raised,” Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, stated Monday in a news release.

Nehls and Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, sent a letter to Biden on Friday expressing their concerns about his campaign’s use of the platform.

“By continuing to use TikTok, Joe Biden is putting politics above the safety of the American people,” Nehls remarked. “I’m proud to join Sen. Ernst in calling on Joe Biden to suspend the use of his campaign’s TikTok account until it is out of the CCP’s hands and prioritize the safety of the American people.”

Biden recently signed legislation giving ByteDance six months to divest from TikTok or face a ban on the app in the U.S. However, his re-election campaign announced the same day that it will continue using the platform, noting the increasing popularity among younger voters who appear to support former President Donald Trump, the likely Republican candidate.

The Biden campaign’s TikTok account has gained over 312,000 followers since its launch in February.

“TikTok has a history of spying on U.S. citizens,” the letter from Nehls and Ernst pointed out. “Chinese-owned ByteDance executives used TikTok to spy on American journalists reporting on the application’s CCP connections. ByteDance employees reportedly had access to a search tool to view the friends list of U.S. politicians and their families, including your own family members.

“Unfortunately, your campaign seems set on disregarding the warnings from your administration officials. Your campaign joined TikTok on Feb. 12, despite the known security risks associated with the CCP spyware. We are concerned that many members of your party also have TikTok accounts, utilizing it to spread their political message despite the dangers of the app.”

The lawmakers referenced Rob Flaherty, the Biden campaign’s deputy manager, who emphasized the importance of staying on TikTok: “We would be foolish to overlook any platform where people are receiving information about the president.”

“We disagree,” the lawmakers countered. “What would be foolish is to prioritize politics over safeguarding national security. The national security threats posed by TikTok are serious. Until TikTok is no longer controlled by the CCP, we urge you to suspend your TikTok account.

“Leadership begins at the top, and we hope you can set a positive example by suspending the use of this application until it is confirmed safe for use by the American people.”

Newsmax reached out to the Biden campaign for comment.