Mitch McConnell Calls TikTok One Of 'Beijing’s Favorite Tools Of Espionage'

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Monday appeared to endorse a bill threatening to ban TikTok nationwide, describing the popular social media platform as one of “Beijing’s favorite tools of coercion and espionage.”

The fact that TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company, has long been viewed as an issue of concern by U.S. officials who argue the app poses a risk to Americans.

“America’s greatest strategic rival is threatening our security right here on U.S. soil … in tens of millions of American homes,” McConnell said in a speech on the Senate floor in reference to TikTok.

Proponents of a ban have long cited the fact that Chinese companies and those that operate in China are required by law to share data with the government if requested as a major red flag.

The House last month passed a bipartisan bill that would require ByteDance to sell the platform within six months or risk it being banned across the country.

McConnell appeared to endorse the legislation, which faces an uncertain path in the Senate.

“Requiring the divestment of Beijing-influenced entities from TikTok would land squarely within established constitutional precedent,” McConnell said. “And it would begin to turn back the tide of an enormous threat to America’s children and to our nation’s prospects in the defining competition of the 21st century.”

He continued: “This is a matter that deserves Congress’ urgent attention. And I’ll support commonsense, bipartisan steps to take one of Beijing’s favorite tools of coercion and espionage off the table.”

But some members of the upper chamber have appeared uneasy with the House bill, in part because it appears to target a single company and could also run afoul of the First Amendment.

McConn