Former GOP presidential primary candidate and Vice President Mike Pence has called on Congress to pass a bill that could effectively ban the popular app TikTok in the United States. Pence made his plea on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, stating that it is time to end appeasement of the Chinese Communist Party.

In his thread, Pence criticized politicians who claim to be tough on China while supporting TikTok, calling it a platform that spreads CCP-sanctioned propaganda and poses a threat to American children. He emphasized the need for urgent action, urging Congress to pass legislation forcing the sale of TikTok while calling on President Biden to promptly sign it into law.

This follows the unveiling of a bipartisan House bill on Tuesday, introduced by Reps. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), which seeks to ban TikTok if its China-based parent company, ByteDance, fails to divest from it. Gallagher and Krishnamoorthi are both leading lawmakers on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.

However, TikTok has strongly opposed the proposed ban. Alex Haurek, a spokesperson for TikTok, argues that the bill is a direct infringement on the First Amendment rights of 170 million Americans and would negatively impact 5 million small businesses that rely on the platform to grow and create jobs.

Despite these concerns, the House Energy and Commerce Committee has unanimously advanced the bill, signaling strong bipartisan support. Additionally, President Biden has expressed his willingness to sign the bill into law if it successfully clears Congress.

Pence, in his X thread, referred to TikTok as "Chinese spyware" that allows the Chinese Communist Party to manipulate the minds of young Americans and compromise the privacy of millions. These claims align with the concerns raised by supporters of the bill, who argue that TikTok poses a national security risk due to its ties with China.

It remains to be seen how Congress will ultimately decide on the fate of TikTok in the United States. The proposed legislation, while aiming to address valid security concerns, has also faced criticism for potentially infringing on free speech rights and impacting businesses that rely on the platform. As the debate continues, the future of TikTok in America hangs in the balance.