Congressman Admits Israel Behind TikTok Ban in the US
Munich (Quds News Network)- Former US Congressman Mike Gallagher revealed that the push to ban TikTok gained momentum only during the Israeli genocide in Gaza. He acknowledged that concerns over anti-Israel content on the platform played a key role in reviving the legislation.
Gallagher spoke at the Munich Security Conference alongside Senator Mark Warner. The two had initially introduced the TikTok ban bill, citing ‘national security’ risks. However, Gallagher admitted the bill was “dead” until the Israeli genocide.
“So we had a bipartisan consensus. We had the executive branch, but the bill was still dead until October 7th. And people started to see a bunch of anti-Semitic content on the platform, and our bill had legs again,” he said.
His comments confirmed speculation that Israel lobbied heavily against TikTok, blaming its algorithm for growing pro-Palestinian sentiment among young Americans.
In March 2024, Congress passed a bill forcing TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell its US operations or face a nationwide ban. Gallagher said a classified intelligence briefing helped secure support for the ban, despite skepticism from some lawmakers.
Senator Mitt Romney, a supporter of the ban, also tied the push to TikTok’s reluctance to ban Palestinian and pro-Palestine content, unlike other social media platforms. “The number of mentions of Palestinians on TikTok, relative to other social media sites, is overwhelmingly high,” he said.
Gallagher also blamed TikTok for fueling support for the ban. The app encouraged users to contact Congress in protest, which led to thousands of calls.
Gallagher’s admission confirms that Israel’s concerns—not China—played a major role in Washington’s crackdown on TikTok. Critics argue that US lawmakers used national security as a cover to protect Israel’s interests. The classified intelligence used to justify the ban remains secret, leaving the public in the dark.
