Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Tom of Temecula

(1,201 posts)
Tue Apr 23, 2024, 08:07 AM Apr 23

Trump Blames Wrong Person for Trying to Cause TikTok's Downfall - The former president suddenly seems to have amnesia

Donald Trump took aim at Joe Biden on Monday for trying to ban TikTok, conveniently forgetting how hard he worked to ban the popular app during his own presidency. Trump posted an angry screed on TruthSocial claiming that “Crooked Joe Biden” is responsible for banning TikTok after a bill attached to a major foreign aid package passed the House of Representatives over the weekend. The bill would ban TikTok from U.S. app stores if its parent company, China-based ByteDance, doesn’t sell the platform within a year.

“He is the one pushing it to close, and doing it to help his friends over at Facebook become richer and more dominant, and able to continue to fight, perhaps illegally, the Republican Party,” Trump wrote, urging young people to remember this on Election Day. Either Trump’s memory is suspect, or he’s trying to pull a fast one on the public. He attempted to ban the popular video-sharing app in an executive order back in 2020, ostensibly to protect Americans’ data from the Chinese government. The ban was later shot down in court.

Just last month, however, he claimed in an incoherent TV interview that a ban would help Facebook, and even expressed support for the social media platform on TruthSocial. “If you get rid of TikTok, Facebook and Zuckerschmuck will double their business,” Trump posted in March. “I don’t want Facebook, who cheated in the last Election, doing better.”

Since then, two possible explanations for Trump’s dramatic shift in position have emerged. One of Trump’s allies, former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, revealed plans to purchase TikTok. And billionaire Jeff Yass, a powerful backer of Trump’s reelection campaign, reportedly owns a 15 percent stake in TikTok worth billions of dollars.

https://newrepublic.com/post/180888/trump-blames-biden-ban-tiktok

19 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

jimfields33

(15,974 posts)
2. Maybe the senate won't.
Tue Apr 23, 2024, 08:36 AM
Apr 23

The senate is different than the house in someways. They may all talk and decide this isn’t a good idea.

karynnj

(59,504 posts)
6. Will the president get 4 bills or one combined one.
Tue Apr 23, 2024, 11:31 AM
Apr 23

If the Senate passes the 4 bills as is, they don't have to go back to the House. If they ammend them or combine them into one wouldn't it go back to the House. If 4 bills, are their important things in the one with Tik Tock.

honest.abe

(8,685 posts)
3. It won't happen anytime soon, if it happens at all.
Tue Apr 23, 2024, 08:39 AM
Apr 23

The banning if it happens would occur after the elections. And likely get tied up in the courts for quite some time. It may never actually happen.

W_HAMILTON

(7,873 posts)
11. I did. Now how about you?
Tue Apr 23, 2024, 03:54 PM
Apr 23

Trump actually took executive action against TikTok while in office and the only reason the app wasn't effectively banned was because TikTok sued him and got a preliminary injunction; then, when the Biden administration took over, he actually RESCINDED Trump's executive order, which led to the lawsuit being dismissed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TikTok_v._Trump

So, now, tell once again why what Trump *actually* did to ban TikTok while president doesn't matter but these hypotheticals about what Biden might do does?

Surely you aren't taking Trump -- once again, the guy who already once tried to ban TikTok -- at his word that he is some great defender of TikTok? Surely that isn't the case here, right?

Autumn

(45,120 posts)
12. I didn't have to think about it I already knew.. Doesn't matter what trump did in the past,
Tue Apr 23, 2024, 05:16 PM
Apr 23

trump can ban or not ban whatever the fuck he wanted to do, he didn't do it, his signature doesn't mean shit. Biden's signature is what counts and he say he will sign it if it passes. Last I checked it passed. You have a nice day

W_HAMILTON

(7,873 posts)
15. Trump did ban it. It was challenged in the courts and then overturned by Biden.
Tue Apr 23, 2024, 05:29 PM
Apr 23

And it hasn't passed. The Senate has not voted on its final passage yet (it only voted to end debate and move onto the next step).

As much as I would love to see a significant source of misinformation/disinformation/outright stupidity banned, sadly, TikTok will still be around. I wonder if anyone there will realize the idiocy in "don't vote for Biden, he is gonna ban TikTok!" videos being posted ... on TikTok?

Rebl2

(13,561 posts)
14. Exactly
Tue Apr 23, 2024, 05:27 PM
Apr 23

Trump was the one who started this ban TikTok deal. All to convenient for tfg to say he’s for it now and put the blame on the current president.

honest.abe

(8,685 posts)
17. I dont know for sure but I suspect Joe's reason for saying that is the Ukraine funding part.
Tue Apr 23, 2024, 05:38 PM
Apr 23

Not because of banning tiktok.

Autumn

(45,120 posts)
18. He was asked about a TikTok ban
Tue Apr 23, 2024, 05:46 PM
Apr 23
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Friday endorsed legislation that could lead to the popular video-sharing app TikTok being banned in the United States, a move that comes amid growing concern in Washington about keeping Americans’ data out of China’s hands.

The legislation that passed through the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously on Thursday calls on China’s ByteDance to divest its ownership of TikTok — or effectively face a U.S. ban. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson also supports the bill and has indicated it would soon come up for a full vote in the House.

“If they pass it, I’ll sign it,” Biden said when asked by reporters about the legislation.

The White House had provided technical support in the drafting of the bill, though White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said earlier this week the TikTok legislation “still needs some work” to get to a place where Biden would endorse it.


https://apnews.com/article/biden-tiktok-ban-house-china-aaa884d8c974f0a35856af5ee6aa4e99

Response to Autumn (Reply #5)

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Trump Blames Wrong Person...