TikTok, ByteDance sue Trump administration over US ban

Tiktok and its parent ByteDance has sued US President Donald Trump’s administration over his executive order.

“The [Trump] administration ignored our extensive efforts to address its concerns, which we conducted fully and in good faith,” TikTok wrote in a press release. “We do not take suing the government lightly, however we feel we have no choice but to take action to protect our rights, and the rights of our community and employees.”

The lawsuit accused that Trump’s order offers no evidence for its claims that TikTok presents a national security threat. It violates due process protections and exceeds the scope of sanctions rules.

Read More : TikTok to sue Trump’s executive order to ban app

The popular video-sharing app also claims that Trump ignored TikTok’s cooperation with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which reviews mergers like ByteDance’s acquisition of the app Musical.ly, later rebranded as TikTok in the US.

“The executive order is not rooted in bona fide national security concerns,” the complaint reads, noting that “independent national security and information security experts have criticized the political nature of this executive order, and expressed doubt as to whether its stated national security objective is genuine.”

Meanwhile, the White House referred a request for comment to the US Department of Justice, which had no immediate response.

TikTok and ByteDance are looking for a permanent order to block Trump from enforcing his August 6 order.

The case lodged in Los Angeles federal court names Trump, the US Department of Commerce and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross as defendants.