Republicans are struggling to develop a unified strategy to counter China’s global influence, leading them to target TikTok as a viable alternative.
During a heated debate on Wednesday night, GOP presidential hopefuls found common ground on the issue of confronting the video-sharing app, despite ongoing disagreements on other topics such as abortion and Ukraine funding.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie started the discussion by denouncing TikTok as spyware that deliberately corrupts the minds of American youth. Republicans are focusing on TikTok due to its association with ByteDance, which has close links to Beijing, making it a convenient proxy for broader national security concerns about Chinese Communist Party espionage, data theft, and propaganda dissemination.
Senator Josh Hawley and Sean Spicer, Donald Trump’s former press secretary, have also expressed their support for banning TikTok on social media platforms. Moreover, conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt raised the issue in a recent debate, citing TikTok as a threat to national security and an enabler of malign influence activities. However, despite the Republican base’s fervor for a TikTok ban, previous attempts to abolish the app have been unsuccessful. Federal judges struck down Trump’s ban in 2020, and Congress and the Biden administration have struggled to pass restrictive legislation or force a sale of the platform.
James Lewis, Director of the Strategic Technologies Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, highlighted the contentious nature of the debate and its appeal to candidates vying to display a strong stance against China. Christie mentioned his intent to ban TikTok if elected, accusing the app of promoting antisemitic content and further dividing Americans. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Senator Tim Scott also expressed their support for a TikTok ban.
Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy engaged in verbal sparring, with Ramaswamy criticizing Haley for her previous stance on China and suggesting broader restrictions on US companies sharing data with China. Amid growing Republican hostility towards China, a TikTok spokesperson highlighted the need for a nationwide privacy law to protect user data.
As calls for a TikTok ban gain momentum, the app will likely remain a focal point of the Republican Party’s anti-China narrative leading up to the 2024 elections, reinforcing the party’s hardline stance against China.
