Emanuel blasts Trump for 'flexibility' on TikTok position
Rahm Emanuel, President Biden’s ambassador to Japan, sharply criticized President-elect Trump for reversing his position on TikTok, saying the app still poses a danger to the American people so long as it remains under the control of a China-based company.
“Listen, as a former ballet dancer, I'm amazed at the flexibility of these individuals who just three years ago, four years ago, like President Trump, he announced TikTok was a danger to America. He gets a contribution from one of the American investors in TikTok and the parent company, all of the sudden, he sees the merit of TikTok here in the United States,” Emanuel, a longtime Democratic politician, said in a Sunday interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
“Look, China is after Americans, gathering data, collecting data,” he continued. “There's a reason the United States is getting rid of Chinese-manufactured cranes at our ports: because it collects data. Why would you let American children be influenced by China and their data collected?”
Trump said Sunday he would issue an executive order to postpone the ban on TikTok and give its Chinese-based parent company ByteDance more time to divest from the platform, which the company was required to do by this weekend if it wanted to avoid a U.S. ban of the popular video-sharing app.
Amid concerns over ByteDance’s ties to China, Congress last spring passed the bipartisan legislation to ban the app, which also gave the president the authority to give a 90-day extension if progress was being made toward a divestiture.
“I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark!” Trump wrote Sunday morning on Truth Social. “I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security.”
Trump said the order will ensure companies that “helped TikTok from going dark" will not face liability.
During Trump’s first term, he tried to ban TikTok through an executive order, which was ultimately blocked in court. He reversed course as Congress was considering the divest-or-ban bill last year. Notably, the shift came after Trump met with Jeff Yass, a major GOP donor and investor in TikTok, although the incoming president said they did not discuss the app.
“Now I get that President Trump got a donation, but keep your hands off our children. It's that simple. It's either we protect our children, or we allow China to have access to their information, and a contribution from a donor, should not change your principles,” Emanuel said in the interview.
“In Washington, I've been there long enough, people are firm in their opinions. It's their principles that are flexible,” he said. “That's unacceptable.”
-
Trump moves inauguration indoors over dangerous cold blast
A dangerously cold blast of air is forcing President-elect Donald Trump's second inauguration to take place indoors. The last time this happened was 40 years ago, when Ronald Reagan was sworn as ...CBS News - 1d -
Burgum sidesteps Trump's most controversial climate positions in largely cordial hearing
Former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R), President-elect Trump’s nominee for Interior secretary, sat for a largely cordial hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on ...The Hill - 3d -
Rahm Emanuel steps down as Japan ambassador ahead of Trump inauguration
President Biden’s ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, will leave his position in Tokyo on Monday and return to the U.S., a traditional changing of the guard ahead of the swearing-in of a new ...The Hill - 6d -
Newsom blasts Trump for 'threatening our first responders'
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) slammed President-elect Trump for politicizing the Los Angeles wildfires and said he is “threatening our first responders.” In an interview with NBC News’s “Meet ...The Hill - Jan. 12 -
Trump blasts 'incompetent' officials as wildfires rage on
President-elect Trump slammed officials in charge of handling the raging wildfires in the Los Angeles area, calling them "incompetent." "The fires are still raging in L.A.," Trump wrote on Truth ...The Hill - Jan. 12 -
President Carter left America a positive path through the Trump presidency
I believe that millions of American Christians will see efforts to reverse progress toward dignity and equality for all people as a betrayal of the example and teachings of the Jesus that Jimmy ...The Hill - Jan. 6 -
Italy’s right-wing leader Meloni positions herself as Trump's ally in Europe
During the meeting at Mar-a-Lago, Trump described Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as a "fantastic woman… she's really taken Europe by storm."CNBC - Jan. 6 -
Trump blasts the 'corrupt' and 'broken' legal system ahead of his sentencing
President-elect Trump on Sunday blasted the “corrupt” and “broken” legal system ahead of a Jan. 10 sentencing date in his New York hush money case. In a Truth Social post highlighted by Mediaite, ...The Hill - Jan. 6 -
Police investigate if blast at Trump hotel is linked to New Orleans attack
President Biden said "any possible connection" was being investigated, but "thus far, there is nothing to report".BBC News - Jan. 2
More from The Hill
-
Most Americans optimistic about Trump’s return to office: Poll
A new survey found that most Americans are optimistic about President-elect Trump returning to the White House. The survey, conducted by CBS News and YouGov, found that 60 percent of respondents ...The Hill - 37m -
Live updates: Trump to hold victory rally at Capital One Arena, TikTok restores service
President-elect Trump is making the rounds in Washington on Sunday ahead of a victory rally at Capital One Area just before Inauguration Day. Trump arrived in the nation's capital over the weekend ...The Hill - 48m -
Kaine reaffirms pressure on Hegseth, says GOP needed to hear it
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) reaffirmed his pressure on President-elect Trump’s Department of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth and said he asked tough questions last week because his Republican colleagues ...The Hill - 1h -
White House adviser says Trump team provided 'significant support' in ceasefire deal
White House principal deputy national security adviser Jon Finer said on Sunday that President-elect Trump’s team provided “significant support” in the recent ceasefire deal between Israel and ...The Hill - 1h -
The strong dollar conundrum facing the Trump administration
The U.S. dollar is expected to strengthen in 2025 due to the Trump administration's preference for a weaker dollar, but this could lead to high inflation and global economic turmoil.The Hill - 1h
More in Politics
-
Most Americans optimistic about Trump’s return to office: Poll
A new survey found that most Americans are optimistic about President-elect Trump returning to the White House. The survey, conducted by CBS News and YouGov, found that 60 percent of respondents ...The Hill - 37m -
Live updates: Trump to hold victory rally at Capital One Arena, TikTok restores service
President-elect Trump is making the rounds in Washington on Sunday ahead of a victory rally at Capital One Area just before Inauguration Day. Trump arrived in the nation's capital over the weekend ...The Hill - 48m -
‘Not enough room’: Lawmakers fret about indoor inauguration
The Capitol Rotunda might be too small to accommodate every member at Monday’s swearing-in.Politico - 1h -
Kaine reaffirms pressure on Hegseth, says GOP needed to hear it
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) reaffirmed his pressure on President-elect Trump’s Department of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth and said he asked tough questions last week because his Republican colleagues ...The Hill - 1h -
White House adviser says Trump team provided 'significant support' in ceasefire deal
White House principal deputy national security adviser Jon Finer said on Sunday that President-elect Trump’s team provided “significant support” in the recent ceasefire deal between Israel and ...The Hill - 1h