Senator Warner Slams Trump’s TikTok Extension, Calls Potential Deal a Legal Violation

Senator Warner Slams Trump’s TikTok Extension, Calls Potential Deal a Legal Violation

Last Updated Apr - 08 - 2025, 02:10 PM | Source : Fela News

Sen. Mark Warner criticizes President Trump’s 75-day extension for ByteDance to divest TikTok’s U.S. assets, saying the deal fails to ensure national security a
Senator Warner Slams Trump’s TikTok Extension, Calls Potential Deal a Legal Violation
Senator Warner Slams Trump’s TikTok Extension, Calls Potential Deal a Legal Violation

Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat in the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee, criticized President Donald Trump’s decision to extend the deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations, calling it a violation of the law. Warner said the potential deal being considered fails to meet the requirements of a 2024 law intended to eliminate Chinese control over the app.

The reported arrangement would allow ByteDance to maintain a significant equity stake and play a continued role in developing and maintaining TikTok's technology, which Warner argues undermines national security.

On Friday, Trump announced a 75-day extension to the divestiture deadline, which was originally set for January. The new plan would create a U.S.-based company, majority-owned and operated by American investors, effectively spinning off TikTok’s U.S. arm and reducing Chinese ownership.

However, Warner insists that any legitimate divestment must ensure a full operational break with ByteDance, preventing access to user data and source code.

China’s approval remains a hurdle, and some lawmakers have pressed Trump to enforce the original law, which he has chosen not to implement since beginning his second term.

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