In a surprising turn of events, former President Trump has reversed his stance on a ban against social media giant TikTok, but his newfound position is not swaying his fellow Republicans on Capitol Hill. House GOP leaders are determined to proceed with a vote on Wednesday to ban TikTok from U.S. app stores unless its parent company, ByteDance, agrees to divest the popular video app.

Despite being a Trump backer, some conservative allies in Congress are openly disagreeing with the former president's new position on TikTok. Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, a member of the far-right Freedom Caucus, criticized Trump, stating, "Well, he's wrong. And by the way, he had his own executive orders and his own actions he was doing, and now... he's suddenly flipped around on that." Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, another Trump ally, also made it clear that his vote is not influenced by the former president's opinion, stating, "Nobody controls how I vote on certain issues."

The legislation in question, the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, received bipartisan support in the Energy and Commerce Committee, passing with a rare 50-0 vote. The bill, co-authored by Reps. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), gained momentum and now faces a vote in the House.

While it is expected to pass in the House, the bill's future in the Senate remains uncertain as leaders are still evaluating its potential impact. Both lawmakers from both parties and FBI Director Christopher Wray have expressed concerns over TikTok as a national security threat. They fear that the Chinese government could access personal data from the app's 150 million users and use algorithms to manipulate their views, including during the upcoming presidential election.

To combat the ban, TikTok has mobilized its vast user base to pressure lawmakers to oppose the legislation. Utilizing in-app messages, TikTok has directed its users to call their representatives, overwhelming congressional offices. In response, Gallagher and Krishnamoorthi sent a letter demanding that TikTok stop spreading false claims in its campaign to manipulate American citizens on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew has refuted claims that the Chinese government controls the app and denies any data access by China. As the fight now shifts to the Senate, Shou will be meeting with senators on Wednesday and Thursday.

Republican Representative Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, known for her support of Trump, acknowledged his statement on TikTok but emphasized the potential risks of the app as a surveillance tool. Luna stressed the importance of protecting American citizens from foreign adversaries.

The ban on TikTok remains a contentious issue, with House Republicans proceeding with the vote despite Trump's reversal. As the legislation progresses, the impact on both TikTok's millions of users and the larger geopolitical landscape will become clearer.