TikTok Says It Is Going to Sue the Trump Administration
TikTok is going to sue Donald Trump. Per Reuters, TikTok has confirmed that it plans to file a lawsuit challenging Trump's August 6 executive order that would block all business with
ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns the short-form video app. Reuters reports that the lawsuit could come as early as tomorrow, though the company has not confirmed a date.
"Even though we strongly disagree with the [Trump] administration’s concerns, for nearly a year we have sought to engage in good faith to provide a constructive solution," they said in a statement on Saturday, per Variety. "What we encountered instead was a lack of due process as the administration paid no attention to facts and tried to insert itself into negotiations between private businesses. To ensure that the rule of law prevails and that our company and users are treated fairly, we have no choice but to challenge the Executive Order through the judicial system."
On August 14, Trump issued an executive order that officially gave ByteDance 90 days to divest from its American assets.
"The order directs ByteDance to divest all interests and rights in any assets or property used to enable or support the operation of TikTok in the United States, and any data obtained or derived from TikTok or Musical.ly users in the United States," Steve Mnuchin, chairman of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, said in a statement following the order.
Reuters said that the lawsuit TikTok plans to file would not shield ByteDance from having to divest the app.
On August 14, Trump said he would not object to "a very American company," such as Microsoft, purchasing TikTok.
"It can't be controlled for security reasons by China," he said.
In other news, Sarah Cooper, who hilariously impersonates Trump on TikTok, is getting her own Netflix special.