The House Republicans have taken a stand against Donald Trump. This comes in the wake of the former President’s warning against passing a bill that might lead to a United States-wide TikTok ban. The House of Representatives passed the legislation on Wednesday, ignoring Trump’s objections.
The bill, aimed at forcing the popular video app’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell or face a nationwide ban in the US, cleared the two-thirds vote threshold effortlessly. It saw support from 197 Republicans, including some of Trump’s most ardent followers. Representatives Elise Stefanik, Lauren Boebert, and Byron Donalds were among those who voted in favor of the bill.
While Trump has previously labeled TikTok a national security threat, his advocacy against the legislation came as a surprise. He expressed concern that any ban on TikTok would give undue advantage to Facebook, a platform he has repeatedly criticized. Despite his opposition, Trump did not exert direct pressure on the lawmakers concerning the vote, unlike the border bill negotiations. His campaign declined to comment on the issue.
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Despite Trump’s opposition, several Republicans dismissed his views on the TikTok ban. For instance, Rep. Eli Crane said, “I always like to know what President Trump was thinking, but I definitely believe this is a good bill.” Similarly, Rep. Dan Crenshaw stated that Trump’s opposition was irrelevant to his decision to support the bill.
Despite this unusual defiance of Trump’s directives, political analysts believe this to be a one-off event. Due to Trump’s significant influence over key legislation votes, most Representatives, especially those seeking re-election, prefer to align with him, rather than oppose him.
However, a few of Trump’s allies did heed his advice and voted against the bill. Among these were Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matt Gaetz, and Trump-endorsee Rep. Nancy Mace.
The future of the bill remains uncertain as it will next head to the Senate. If it passes there, President Biden, despite recently joining TikTok for his re-election campaign, has stated that he would sign it.
Whether or not the bill becomes a law, the House Republicans’ defiance of Trump’s directives marks a notable event in recent political history.