Elon Musk voiced his opposition to banning TikTok in the United States on Friday as another bill heads to Capitol Hill.
“In my opinion, TikTok should not be banned in the United States, even if such a ban could benefit the 𝕏 platform,” Musk, owner of X, wrote on the platform on Friday. “To do so would be contrary to freedom of opinion and expression. This is not what America stands for.”
House Republicans unveiled a national security bill this week that includes a provision banning TikTok in the United States if its Chinese owner ByteDance does not sell or sever ties with the Chinese Communist Party.
The bill gives ByteDance one year to cut ties with the Chinese Communist Party and is part of a foreign aid package to Israel and Ukraine.
A vote could take place as early as Saturday.
Last month, the House passed a similar bill with bipartisan support, but it faced opposition in the Senate.
“I am very pleased that President Johnson and House leaders have included my recommendation to extend the ByteDance divestment period from six months to one year,” Cantwell said Wednesday. “As I have said, it is necessary to extend the conveyancing period to ensure that a new buyer has sufficient time to complete the transaction. I support this updated legislation.”
In the past, Musk has called himself an "absolute defender of free speech," saying that was one of the reasons he bought Twitter, which he renamed to X.