In an interview published Tuesday, Democrat Sen. Ron Wyden (OR) criticized former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s efforts to buy the controversial social media platform TikTok.
“I don’t see how America will be any more secure if the next owner of TikTok is a MAGA Trump crony backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund,” Wyden told Semafor in the interview.
“I’m absolutely concerned about the Chinese government’s access to Americans’ personal data,” he said. “But every concern that has been voiced about Chinese influence is equally valid when it comes to a Saudi government that murdered a Washington Post journalist after planting spyware on his wife’s phone.”
To recap, Townhall covered last week how Mnuchin said in an interview that he would form an investor group to buy Tik Tok.
“I think the legislation should pass, and I think it should be sold,” Mnuchin told CNBC on Thursday morning. “It’s a great business, and I’m going to put together a group to buy TikTok.”
While he did not say who he has been speaking with, Mnuchin believes TikTok should be “owned by U.S. businesses.”
“There’s no way the Chinese would ever let a U.S. company own something like this in China,” he added.
"It's a great business and I'm going to put together a group to buy TikTok," says Former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. "The issue is all about the technology. This needs to be controlled by U.S. businesses." pic.twitter.com/6yoLoL5bay
— Squawk Box (@SquawkCNBC) March 14, 2024
Mnuchin’s announcement came after the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that could lead to the U.S. banning the social platform Tik Tok entirely.
The vote was 352-65, with one member, Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), voting present. The Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act passed by the House would give TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, five months to sell the platform, which has ties to the Chinese Communist Party. If TikTok is not divested in this time frame, it would be illegal for app stores like Google and Apple or web hosting services to make it available for users to download.
“Communist China is America’s largest geopolitical foe and is using technology to actively undermine America’s economy and security," GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said in a statement after the vote.
"Today’s bipartisan vote demonstrates Congress’ opposition to Communist China’s attempts to spy on and manipulate Americans, and signals our resolve to deter our enemies," he added.