'Her own daughter uses TikTok': Nikki Haley trolled after she renews calls for ban on Chinese app
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA: In a recent Fox News town hall event on Sunday, February 18, Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and United Nations ambassador, addressed the Republican Party's challenges in reaching out to Generation Z.
She insisted that the solution does not lie with TikTok, the Chinese-owned social media platform, despite its popularity among younger demographics.
Haley Goes After Biden & Trump Over TikTok
During the town hall, Haley engaged in a conversation with 'America Reports' co-anchor John Roberts, where she criticized both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump for their handling of TikTok.
She expressed disappointment in Biden's decision to use TikTok for outreach, particularly highlighting his Super Bowl night TikTok clip aimed at connecting with younger voters.
Additionally, she chastised Trump for failing to fulfill his promise to ban the app during his tenure in the White House.
"President Trump said he would ban TikTok, and when President Xi asked him not to, that fell to the wayside," Haley remarked, referring to China's leader, Xi Jinping. "We should have banned it from the beginning. It is incredibly dangerous."
Haley's criticism of Trump extends beyond TikTok, as she has been advocating for fresh leadership within the GOP. Her stance on foreign policy diverges from the isolationist wing of the party, as she has repeatedly condemned Trump's friendly relationships with authoritarian leaders like Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin.
“I think that’s why it’s so damaging when Trump said that he would choose Putin and actually encouraged to invade NATO allies, instead of standing with our allies,” she said.
In response to a question from a young voter about the GOP's neglect of Gen Z and first-time voters, Haley acknowledged the issue and stressed the importance of listening to their concerns, such as the environment and debt. However, she reiterated her call for a TikTok ban, citing concerns over China's access to personal data.
“America can’t be the last country to ban TikTok,” she said.
Bipartisan Concerns over TikTok
TikTok has indeed become a political flashpoint, with bipartisan concerns over data privacy and national security. Senator Tom Cotton, Republican of Arkansas, grilled the chief executive of TikTok, Shou Zi Chew, during a recent hearing, insinuating that Chew was affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party.
Haley has brought her concerns about TikTok to the campaign trail, advocating for a complete ban of the app.
During a Republican debate in September, she labeled TikTok as "one of the most dangerous social media assets" and clashed with rival candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who supports using the app to reach young voters. Their debates intensified when Ramaswamy pointed out that Haley's adult daughter uses the app, leading Haley to call him "scum" in response.
Haley has consistently called for a TikTok ban on the campaign trail, accusing the Chinese government of conducting psychological warfare on American users by promoting subversive content on the platform, the New York Times reported.
For instance, in November, she argued that TikTok played a role in influencing young Americans' sympathy towards the Palestinian cause by circulating "pro-Hamas videos." Additionally, she highlighted the promotion of the "Letter to America," authored by Osama bin Laden after the September 11 terrorist attacks, during the opening days of Israel's war in Gaza.
“You have members of our younger generation, they’re saying now they understand why he did it. That’s disgusting,” she told her supporters in Iowa. “That’s not America doing that. That’s China doing that.”
Social Media Backlash
Having said that, Haley's stance on TikTok faced criticism on social media.
"Also Nikki Haley's own daughter uses TikTok," one posted on X.
"She also will be toast in about a week," another predicted.
"Bla bla bla," a comment read.
"Kind of a whiner," someone else offered.
"Nimirata is finished," another chimed in.
