Background context

The Trump administration recently announced plans to ban the social media app TikTok. The administration claims this is for national security reasons, alleging that TikTok is an agent of the Chinese Communist Party. TikTok denies these claims and has provided statistics about American ownership and employment. As a result, TikTok is currently for sale in the financial markets, with potential buyers including Microsoft and other tech giants.

Questions about this

• What specific legal mechanisms will the Trump administration use to enforce the TikTok ban?

• What conditions must be met for the executive branch of the government to use these mechanisms to ban TikTok, and can these mechanisms be used arbitrarily by the President or future Presidents? Do the same laws apply to domestic companies?

• Is it possible that these mechanisms could be used in the future to select winners and losers in the tech industry at the President's personal discretion?

Background context

The Trump administration recently announced plans to ban the social media app TikTok. The administration claims this is for national security reasons, alleging that TikTok is an agent of the Chinese Communist Party. TikTok denies these claims and has provided statistics about American ownership and employment. As a result, TikTok is currently for sale in the financial markets, with potential buyers including Microsoft and other tech giants.

Question about this

• What specific legal mechanisms will the Trump administration use to enforce the TikTok ban?

• What conditions must be met for the executive branch of the government to use these mechanisms to ban TikTok, and can these mechanisms be used arbitrarily by the President or future Presidents? Do the same laws apply to domestic companies?

• Is it possible that these mechanisms could be used in the future to select winners and losers in the tech industry at the President's personal discretion?

Whats happening?

Recently, the Trump administration has announced their intention to ban the popular social media application TikTok. The Trump administration claims this is on the grounds of national security, accusing TikTok of being an agent of the Chinese Communist Party. TikTok denies these claims and counters with statistics of American ownership/employment. As a result, TikTok is currently in a fire sale mode in the financial markets - with potential buyers being Microsoft amongst other tech giants.

How will he do this?

What specific legal mechanisms will the Trump administration use to enforce this ban?

Are there any restrictions?

What conditions must be met in order for the executive branch of the government to employ these mechanisms? Can these mechanisms be arbitrarily leveraged by the current/future President? Do these same laws apply to domestic companies?

Would it be plausible for these same legislative mechanisms to be used in the future for the purpose of selecting winners/losers in the tech industry at the personal discretion of the President?

For example: banning Twitter on the grounds of national security and force it to sell to another domestic platform that is more aligned with the president's world view?

Background context

The Trump administration recently announced plans to ban the social media app TikTok. The administration claims this is for national security reasons, alleging that TikTok is an agent of the Chinese Communist Party. TikTok denies these claims and has provided statistics about American ownership and employment. As a result, TikTok is currently for sale in the financial markets, with potential buyers including Microsoft and other tech giants.

Questions about this

• What specific legal mechanisms will the Trump administration use to enforce the TikTok ban?

• What conditions must be met for the executive branch of the government to use these mechanisms to ban TikTok, and can these mechanisms be used arbitrarily by the President or future Presidents? Do the same laws apply to domestic companies?

• Is it possible that these mechanisms could be used in the future to select winners and losers in the tech industry at the President's personal discretion?