Rep. Turner: TikTok 'Absolutely a National Security Threat'

TikTok "is absolutely a national security threat," even though President Donald Trump says he's working on a deal that will allow users in the United States to keep using the app, Rep. Mike Turner said Sunday. 

"The law passed by Congress that came out of the House China Select Committee, chaired by Michael Gallagher, that drafted this law, found that TikTok was a national security risk because of two things: its access to data and its ability to use itself as a propaganda tool by China," the Ohio Republican and former House Intelligence Committee chair said on CBS News' "Face the Nation."

Further, Congress has passed legislation requiring TikTok to divest itself from ByteDance, which is linked to the Chinese government, and "the only thing that would protect us is divestiture," said Turner. 

But China has insisted it doesn't want the app to be sold. 

"It's not a business," said Turner. "It's a propaganda tool to access data."

Last week, TikTok shut down services for a few hours after the deadline for the divestment rolled around on Jan. 19. Hours later, it restored service when Trump said he would intervene. 

Monday, on his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order that directed the Department of Justice not to enforce the TikTok law, which the Supreme Court upheld, for 75 days. 

Trump said Saturday that "numerous people" have spoken to him about buying the app. 

"If we can save TikTok, I think it would be a good thing," Trump said. However, during his first term, he sought to ban the app, based on concerns about national security. 

Turner said Sunday he hopes that Trump is able to get a deal that recognizes security issues, but insisted that "there is no role in which they can remain active, in which China can have access to this data."

Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson earlier this month removed Turner as the Intelligence Committee chair, but denied claims the congressman made that he was fired based on "concerns from Mar-a-Lago."

Turner on Sunday said he's since been in touch with Trump's team and was informed that "was not the case" behind his removal. 

"The one thing that he has said is that he wanted to take the committee in a different direction," Turner said. 

He added that he is "concerned" that the direction could be a focus on the "elusive deep state," not national security, but insisted that he and Johnson have a good relationship. 

"He has appointed me to lead the NATO Parliamentary Assembly on behalf of the House," he said. "I am on the Armed Services Committee. I will remain with a strong role in national security. I'm going to continue to focus on protecting the country."

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