Rand Paul Calls Out Fox News Host During Live TV: 'You Just Told a Lie'

Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul called out Fox News on live TV Thursday over a conversation about TikTok and recently passed legislation.

The bill, which passed the House of Representatives on Wednesday, would compel TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, to divest from and sell TikTok, a popular social media application that has sparked privacy concerns due to the company's alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). ByteDance and other critics of the legislation argue that the bill amounts to a ban of the app and would raise concerns about freedom of speech.

Fox News' Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade told Paul that ByteDance is owned by the Chinese government, prompting Paul to say: "No, it's not, see, that's a lie."

"You're defaming the company," Paul said. "Sixty percent of it is owned by international investors, 20 percent is owned by the software developers who are Chinese and 20 percent is owned by the employees, 7,000 of whom are Americans."

Kilmeade continued to press Paul, arguing that ByteDance is owned by the Chinese government. The Kentucky senator disputed this remark again, saying: "No they don't, see you just told a lie Brian."

The Context

On Wednesday, members of the House of Representatives voted in favor of legislation calling on TikTok to divest from ByteDance or face a possible ban in the U.S.

The legislation was first proposed by members of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), who said the bill will also allow the president to designate certain applications as "social media applications that are subject to the control of a foreign adversary—per Title 10—and pose a national security risk."

What We Know

Lawmakers throughout the U.S. in favor of the legislation have voiced concerns over the connection between ByteDance and the Chinese government. Under Chinese law, ByteDance is required to provide information to the government if requested.

During his appearance on Fox & Friends, Paul said that repeatedly that TikTok is not owned by the Chinese government.

Newsweek reached out to Fox News and Paul's press office via email for further comment.

Views

Paul also expressed opposition to the legislation on X, formerly Twitter, saying "The passage of the House TikTok ban is not just a misguided overreach; it's a draconian measure that stifles free expression, tramples constitutional rights, and disrupts the economic pursuits of millions of Americans."

"This act is not securing our nation—it's a disturbing gift of unprecedented authority to President Biden and the Surveillance State that threatens the very core of American digital innovation and free expression," Paul said.

Some other Republicans, like Florida Representative Matt Gaetz and Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, also voted against the legislation in the House on Thursday.

In a video posted to TikTok, the company's CEO Shou Zi Chew also criticized the bill saying that if it is signed by President Joe Biden, TikTok will be banned in the U.S.

"We will not stop fighting and advocating for you. We will continue to do all we can including exercising our legal rights to protect this amazing platform that we have built with you. We believe we can overcome this together," he said.

What's Next

Following the bill's passage in the House, it will move to the Senate, where it is currently unclear how it will be handled. As Paul expressed this week, he has some opposition to the bill and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said that members "will review the legislation when it comes over from the House."

Update, 3/14/24, 7:55 a.m. EST: This story has been updated with further information.

Update, 3/14/24, 8:22 a.m. EST: This story has been updated with further information.