Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., on Thursday slammed Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo for hesitating to back a federal ban of social media app TikTok, which is owned by a Chinese company.
"The secretary’s comments are in striking contrast with the Biden Administration’s own FBI and CIA directors, who have warned of the critical risks posed by the app," Rubio said in a statement.
Raimondo earlier this week said passing a law "to ban a single company" was not the way to deal with the issue.
"The politician in me thinks you’re gonna literally lose every voter under 35, However much I hate TikTok — and I do, because I see the addiction in the bad s--- that it serves kids — you know, this is America."
Rubio's Anti-Social CCP Act, introduced in December, would ban or force the divestiture of Chinese-owned social media apps, including TikTok.
"People were horrified by the Chinese spy balloon that flew through multiple states in our nation. However, that level of spying happens every day through TikTok, which is a clear national security risk that collects and manipulates content on behalf of the CCP {Chinese Community Party]," Rubio said about the legislation.
"We know that TikTok has surveilled and spied on journalists, violating civil liberties. This is not just some harmless social media app, but a critical tool that gives Beijing power over the day-to-day lives of more than 100 million Americans. Now is the time to pass my Anti-Social CCP Act and end this threat for good."