Mike Waltz flip-flops on TikTok ban

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President Donald Trump’s reversal on the Chinese language-owned social media app TikTok has led to dramatic 180-degree turns from Republican supporters, most prominently by his nationwide safety advisor Mike Waltz, a former Florida congressman.

Throughout his first time period, Trump initiated an effort to ban TikTok in the USA except it was offered. However on Monday, shortly after he was inaugurated, Trump signed an govt order to delay the enforcement of the TikTok ban — which grew to become legislation after it handed Congress and was signed by President Joe Biden — for 75 days.

He mentioned he needs the app to proceed to function within the U.S. and invited Shou Chew, the CEO of TikTok proprietor ByteDance, to his inauguration.

Waltz backed Trump in his determination to maintain TikTok alive, telling Fox Information on Sunday that Trump “will put measures in place to maintain TikTok from going darkish.”

The app, Waltz continued, was “an excellent platform for him and his marketing campaign to get his America First message out.”

Waltz, of St. Augustine Seashore, is a longtime “China hawk” who carved out a fame opposing the affect of the Folks’s Republic of China. He was one among 197 Republicans who voted in March to ban TikTok from working within the U.S., except it was offered, within the “Defending People from International Adversary Managed Functions Act” later signed into legislation by Biden.

In 2023, Waltz known as the video-based app “CCP spyware and adware,” referring to the Chinese language Communist Celebration’s possession of ByteDance. A yr in the past, earlier than the vote to ban the app, his marketing campaign despatched out an e-mail stating he was “extraordinarily disturbed” that “our children are being inundated with pro-terrorist messaging on TikTok.”

“I’m taking motion to STOP this new wave of terrorist sympathy in America,” Waltz wrote.

The ban was set to enter impact on Sunday, the day earlier than Trump returned to workplace. However elevated opposition to it from each Trump and a few Democrats, nervous concerning the impact it could have on Era Z voters, led Biden to say he wouldn’t implement the ban on his final day in energy.

However TikTok shut down quickly on Saturday night anyway, exhibiting some customers the politically-charged message, “We’re lucky that President Trump has indicated he’ll work with us on an answer to reinstate TikTok as soon as he takes workplace. Please keep tuned!”

The app returned to operation on Sunday, telling customers, “Because of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is again within the U.S.!”

Democratic U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Orlando, who voted towards the ban final yr, wrote on social media that the TikTok situation was “a large political blunder on our finish.”

“Let’s be clear: the entire thing is a con,” Frost wrote. “TikTok may’ve stored the app rolling on Sunday however by shutting down & mentioning Trump, he will get to be the savior. Considered one of many examples of firms & billionaires bowing down. It’s BS. However it’s additionally the truth.”

Whereas retaining TikTok alive, Trump additionally implied he would attempt to power ByteDance to promote 50% of the corporate to the federal authorities, in keeping with Reuters, with the specter of Chinese language tariffs behind it. Hypothesis has additionally pointed to X proprietor Elon Musk as a possible U.S. purchaser for TikTok.

Republicans seem to stay blended on the problem. On Thursday, Gov. Ron DeSantis mentioned state Legal professional Normal Ashley Moody, whom he selected to succeed Secretary of State Marco Rubio within the U.S. Senate, “has been integral in our state’s effort to defend Florida towards Chinese language affect. … She opposed China’s potential to spy on People by using social media apps.”

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