White House Trade adviser Peter Navarro warned of the dangers of TikTok, explaining in a Saturday appearance on ‘Justice with Judge Jeanine’ why President Trump may potentially ban the social media app.
“Every time you sign up for TikTok, all your information is potentially going right back to the Chinese Communist Party. The Chinese military and the Chinese government, they can use this social these social media apps to steal your personal information, your business information and also the judge,” Navarro told host Jeanine Pirro. “They use these social media apps to track you and surveil you and monitor your movements.”
“So President Trump looked at this,” Navarro added. “Secretary Pompeo is waxing eloquent on it as well. This is a national security threat.”
The social media app, which allows users to share short videos, has become extremely popular, particularly during recent coronavirus lockdowns. But there have been long-standing concerns about the app because of its Chinese parent company ByteDance, and that it could lead to user data being accessed by the Chinese government. Itâs a claim TikTok has denied.
Trump on Friday said he intends to sign an executive order or use an emergency economic power on Saturday banning the app from the U.S.
TikTok on Saturday said itâs âhere for the long runâ and ânot planning on going anywhereâ in response to Trump.
Navarro warned not to be influenced by TikTok and lobbyists speaking on its behalf.
“China has hired a whole bunch of American lobbyists. They put a puppet CEO in charge of that company,” Navarro said. “They’re going to make it sound like, ‘Oh, it can’t hurt you.’ This, that and the other thing. Don’t fall for this.”
