ICYMI Video: Presumptive Attorney General Nominee Pam Bondi Refuses to Commit to Enforcing TikTok Divestment Passed by Congress

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) pressed President-elect Donald Trump's presumptive nominee to be Attorney General Pam Bondi on whether she would continue the Department of Justice's current efforts to defend a law passed overwhelmingly by Congress last year requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok. Shortly after Blumenthal's questioning of Bondi, the Washington Post reported that Trump is considering an Executive Order that would suspend the enforcement of law for several months.

The full video of Blumenthal's questioning is available here and the transcript is copied below.

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT): Again, thank you, Ms. Bondi, for answering our questions.

I want to come back to TikTok, and we ran out of time when I was asking you before about the importance of the law that was passed overwhelmingly, bipartisan majority here in the United States Congress. As you know, last year, a Chinese hacking group-it was called Salt Typhoon-broke into several American phone companies, reportedly used that access to spy on the White House, the FBI, other sensitive, government targets. The threat of Chinese Communist espionage goes beyond just watching, it also involves potentially shutting down our grids, other critical infrastructure. I assume you agree with me that Chinese cyberwarfare, espionage, malign influence is an existential threat to America?

Pam Bondi: It is an existential threat, Senator, and also, I have not seen it yet, but from what I've heard about former FBI Director Wray's comments on 60 Minutes regarding China, sleeper cells within our own country, infiltrating our water systems, our natural gas lines, telecommunications-a very, very real threat to our country.

Blumenthal: I'm glad that we agree. And as you know, and as the Department of Justice has noted-it's not classified, so we can talk about it openly- ByteDance is beholden to the demands of the Chinese government. It is controlled by the Chinese government, and it in turn controls TikTok. Do you agree that Bytedance's control, ownership, exploitation of TikTok is a threat to American national security?

Bondi: Senator, this is a pending litigation within the Department of Justice, and I can't talk about that at all.

Blumenthal: Well let me put it a different way. It's not pending litigation within the Department of Justice, it's in the courts. And the Department of Justice is currently defending the constitutionality of American law-

Bondi: Pending-

Blumenthal: Will you continue to defend the law passed by the Congress, defending America's national security?

Bondi: Senator, I cannot…it would be irresponsible for me to talk about any-and it is pending litigation. We can talk semantics all day long-

Blumenthal: No, you know, I was Attorney General, and very often-

Bondi: I'm not trying to hedge on anything, Senator, I just can't comment on it-

Blumenthal: Well, I am having a problem with the idea that you won't tell me that the Department of Justice will continue to defend against a constitutional attacks, the law of the United States. When I was Attorney General of the state of Connecticut, I would say, "I have an obligation to defend the law of Connecticut against any attacks." You have an obligation, or you did as Attorney General of Florida, to go to court when those laws were attacked. You have an obligation as United States Attorney General to do what this Attorney General is doing, whether you agree with it or not. And frankly, whatever the President thinks about that law, you have an obligation to defend it. This is an easy question for you. Will you defend laws of the United States of America against constitutional attacks? I am asking you in general.

Bondi: In general, yes.

Blumenthal: And with respect to the law that would require the divestiture of TikTok-which is a law passed by this body and supported by I think a majority of members on both sides of the aisle-why can't you tell us that you will defend it?

Bondi: Senator, I'm not hedging. This is all pending litigation, and I just, I can't talk about pending litigation, if confirmed as Attorney General.

Blumenthal: I have to tell you, with all due respect, that answer is unacceptable to me. Thank you.

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