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 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.