Senate Intelligence Chair Tom Cotton Opposes Trump's TikTok Delay, Warns Companies of Billion-Dollar Liabilities

Jan 19, 2025, 06:14 PM

Republican Senators Tom Cotton and Pete Ricketts are opposing President Donald Trump's plan to delay the TikTok ban, asserting that there is no legal basis for any extension now that the law has taken effect. Senator Cotton, Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee and the first Republican leader to openly oppose President Trump on this issue, emphasized the national security threat posed by TikTok, calling it a 'communist-controlled' app. He warned that companies hosting or supporting TikTok could face billions in fines and that state attorneys general may sue if the federal government does not act. Despite President Trump's desire to delay the ban through an executive order, Cotton and Ricketts challenge the legality of such a move, insisting that the ban should be enforced to safeguard U.S. security.