Jean MartinPresident Joe Biden has officially signed into law measures aimed at providing aid to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan, along with a mandate for Chinese company ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a national ban. This move follows a six-month period of political wrangling on Capitol Hill.
Contents of the Law:
The law allocates approximately $60 billion in aid for Ukraine, $26 billion for Israel, and $8 billion for security initiatives in Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region.
Additionally, it compels ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, to divest the social media platform within nine months or face a potential nationwide ban in the United States.
ByteDance has expressed opposition to the law, labeling it unconstitutional and vowing to challenge it in court. The company asserts that the mandated sale of TikTok would have detrimental effects on millions of businesses and users.
TikTok CEO’s Reaction:
In a video response, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew characterized the enactment of the bill as a disappointing moment and reiterated the company’s commitment to contesting it through legal channels.
Biden’s Reelection Campaign’s Stance:
Despite Biden’s support for the TikTok provision, his 2024 reelection campaign has stated that it will continue using the platform to engage with voters for at least the next year. The timeline for ByteDance’s divestiture allows TikTok to remain under its ownership through the November election.
Political Backlash and Context:
The bill faced significant political opposition and controversy, including threats against House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Despite this, Johnson ultimately moved to end the stalemate and advance the bill, bolstered by bipartisan pressure following Iran’s attempted strike on Israel in April.
Johnson defended his decision, asserting that history would judge it favorably and emphasizing that it was the right course of action.
