Gallego, who is vying for the Senate seat currently occupied by independent Senator Kyrsten Sinema, had previously suggested that TikTok could pose a threat to national security.
In a 2020 interview with CNN, Gallego stated, "It may be. There are a lot of ways that we can actually stop TikTok from taking personal information and using it. The Chinese, what they like to do, is gather as much information for use in the future."
In 2023, Gallego expressed interest in joining the House committee on China, specifically mentioning TikTok as a subject of scrutiny. "I think I could bring a lot of experience that I’ve gained — the experience I’ve taken from my subcommittee — as well as other experiences on the committee dealing in the [Indo-Pacific] area, as well as the Huaweis of the world and even things like TikTok," Gallego told Defense News in January 2023.
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Despite these earlier concerns, Gallego has recently begun utilizing the Chinese-affiliated app as part of his campaign strategy for the 2024 Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate. A few days ago, Gallego posted the inaugural video on his verified TikTok account, featuring a montage of individuals brandishing "Ruben Gallego for Arizona" placards.
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In a statement to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for Gallego's campaign assured that the candidate would continue to champion privacy rights and hold China accountable. "Ruben has a long record in Congress of holding the CCP accountable and will continue to fight to protect Arizonans’ security," the spokesperson said.
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This issue is not exclusive to Gallego; other politicians, including Republicans and some Democrats, have expressed apprehension about the platform's ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat from Ohio, voiced similar concerns about TikTok's CCP connections, only to create an account to boost his re-election campaign months later.
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"We must protect Ohioans' personal information from the Chinese Communist Party," Brown told WTOL 11, indicating the potential privacy risks for Ohio residents. "I have serious concerns with this company's ties to the Chinese government and will continue to work with members of both parties to look at how we can best protect Ohioans' privacy and our national security," the Senator said, shortly before launching his own TikTok account.
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