TikTok slams Trump’s executive order, promises to pursue ‘all remedies’

TikTok on Friday responded to President Trump’s executive order banning the company from operating in the U.S. in 45 days, saying it shows “no adherence to the law.”

The social media company went on to promise to “pursue all remedies available to us.” 

“We are shocked by the recent Executive Order, which was issued without any due process,” the short-form-video-sharing platform said.

Trump’s executive order issued late Thursday night justified the ban by citing national security concerns based on TikTok’s ties to China.

The short-form-video app’s parent company, ByteDance, is headquartered in and operates out of Beijing, though TikTok claims its American data has been moved to servers in the U.S.

The order invokes the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the National Emergencies Act. The White House making such a move is unusual and will likely face a legal challenge.

Trump could force ByteDance to divest from TikTok through the Treasury Department’s Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), but the president has seemingly skipped over that process.

TikTok said Friday that the order sets a “dangerous precedent for the concept of free expression and open markets.”

It also pointed toward discussions over a sale of the portions of TikTok based in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand to Microsoft. Microsoft pledged to conclude discussions by Sept. 15 after discussions with Trump.

“We even expressed our willingness to pursue a full sale of the U.S. business to an American company,” TikTok said.

The president issued another executive order on Thursday night applying the same ban on transactions with the Chinese owners of messaging app WeChat.