Washington, DC — FDD Action today released the following statement urging the Trump administration to ensure any divestiture of TikTok severs all operational control from Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-affiliated entities, consistent with the requirements set forth in the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACAA, Division H of PL 118-50). The administration is expected to announce a proposed deal in the coming days following its fourth extension of the enforcement deadline earlier this week.
“The law is clear: any divestiture of TikTok must sever all operational ties to CCP-controlled entities. That means no cooperation on algorithms, no data-sharing agreements, no hidden backdoors or access points,” said Nick Stewart, Senior Director of Government Affairs at FDD Action. “Anything less than a complete separation leaves our country exposed and hands Beijing a powerful tool to manipulate U.S. public opinion, amplify divisive propaganda, influence our elections, and harvest Americans’ most sensitive communications and data. To protect the United States, especially the millions of young people who use this app most, the administration must enforce the full letter and spirit of the law and reject half-measures that leave a backdoor open to Beijing.”
Congress passed PAFACAA in 2024 to safeguard Americans from CCP influence. The law requires that any divestiture of TikTok reduce foreign adversary ownership to below 20 percent and, crucially, eliminate all operational ties to CCP-controlled entities. That includes prohibiting cooperation on content recommendation algorithms, data sharing, or any other mechanism that would allow Beijing to retain influence.
In short, PAFACAA mandates both ownership divestiture and operational separation to ensure TikTok cannot be used to manipulate American and global audiences through tailored disinformation and influence operations.
President Trump should not settle for a partial deal but insist on a complete and permanent separation from Beijing’s algorithmic influence – exactly as Congress intended. The American people deserve nothing less.