That's a Lie!': Rand Paul Clashes with Fox News Host

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky engaged in a spirited exchange with Fox News host Brian Kilmeade on Thursday, reiterating his opposition to legislation that could potentially lead to a ban on the social media platform TikTok.

The House passed a bill on Wednesday mandating TikTok to revamp its ownership structure amid concerns over its China-based parent company, ByteDance, allegedly sharing user information with the Chinese government, as reported by Newsweek. Failure to comply could result in the app being banned in the United States. The bill is now headed to the Senate, where its fate remains uncertain.

Paul emphasized to The Washington Post on Tuesday that millions of Americans "choose to use TikTok to express themselves," asserting, "I don’t think Congress should be trying to take away the First Amendment rights of [170] million Americans."

He added, "I think when you’re alleged of a crime, you have to be convicted of it, so you can’t really take someone’s property in our country without a conviction."

While acknowledging he had never used TikTok himself, Paul stressed the importance of abiding by the law in deciding whether to utilize the platform. He cautioned against potential repercussions, including the stifling of media companies like Fox News, resulting from the legislation.

Paul pointed out that TikTok's ownership structure comprises "60 percent international investors, 20 percent two Chinese software engineers who developed it, and 20 percent employees, 7,000 of whom are Americans," emphasizing that it is not directly owned by the Chinese government. He argued that like any other multinational corporation, TikTok deserves legal due process before any action is taken against it.

Amidst overlapping dialogue, Paul refuted Kilmeade's assertion that ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, is owned by China, insisting it was a "lie" and defending his ownership statistics.

The conversation grew heated as Kilmeade pressed Paul on TikTok's algorithm ownership, eventually concluding that TikTok and, by extension, ByteDance are ultimately controlled by the Chinese government. Paul vehemently disagreed, asserting that such claims were false and unsubstantiated.

The exchange highlighted differing perspectives on TikTok's influence and the necessity of upholding constitutional principles regarding property rights and due process.

Some observers have suggested a potential motivation behind Paul's staunch defense of TikTok. Reports indicate that GOP megadonor Jeffrey Yass has contributed millions of dollars to Paul’s political action committees in recent years. Yass, the CEO of Susquehanna Financial Group, reportedly held a significant stake in ByteDance, further adding complexity to the debate surrounding TikTok's fate.