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President Donald Trump dropped some big news on Friday night, telling reporters aboard Air Force One that he plans to ban the popular social networking service TikTok.
There have been some security concerns over the Chinese-owned app, and Trump administration officials had hinted at action to come against TikTok. The Joe Biden campaign reportedly told staffers to not download TikTok, citing security and privacy concerns.
Earlier Friday there was reporting that TikTok was in talks to sell the company to Microsoft.
The president tonight said that “we’re banning them from the United States”:
President Trump told the Air Force One press pool he plans to ban TikTok from operating in the US.
“As far as TikTok is concerned we’re banning them from the United States,” Trump said.— Steve Holland (@steveholland1) August 1, 2020
NEW: The President says he plans to sign something as soon as tomorrow to block @tiktok_us: “We’re banning them from the United States.” But he didn’t specify what mechanism he’ll use.
Trump also dismissed the reported spinoff deal involving @Microsoft buying TikTok.
— Weijia Jiang (@weijia) August 1, 2020
Per pool, Trump said, “Well, I have that authority. I can do it with an executive order or that.” The pool says Trump made clear he was not in favor of a deal to let a U.S. company buy TikTok’s American operations.
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) August 1, 2020
Trump said he could use emergency economic powers or an executive order to ban TikTok. “Well, I have that authority. I can do it with an executive order or that,” he said referring to emergency economic powers.
— Shimon Prokupecz (@ShimonPro) August 1, 2020
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