U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) released the following statement following reports that TikTok is opening an office in Nashville:

“I do not support China-owned TikTok opening up an office in Nashville. When TikTok’s CEO was in Washington, I made it clear to him that Tennesseans are extremely concerned about China’s influence. TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is tied to the Chinese Communist Party by strict laws in Beijing that force companies to hand over users’ personal data. Just last week, we saw how TikTok was weaponized to push propaganda and lobby on behalf of the CCP’s interests. I will continue fighting to either ban TikTok or ensure Beijing does not control the app.” – Senator Blackburn