Every US Senator Using TikTok Who Voted to Ban It

A TikTok ban in the U.S. seems like a growing possibility after nearly 80 senators voted for a bill that could force the social media company's Chinese owner to sell the app or face prohibition from American app stores.

However, Newsweek has found that a group of senators who voted for the controversial legislation still have official TikTok accounts, some of which continue to be used.

Newsweek has previously identified House members who continue to use the platform despite voting for the ban.

The TikTok ultimatum, approved by the House this past Saturday, was bundled as part of a military aid package for Ukraine and Israel, which Congress has been eager to pass following months of deadlock.

On Tuesday night, the Senate passed the $95.3 billion bill—which also includes aid for Taiwan—by a 79-18 vote. Opposition was mostly, but not entirely, Republican. Of the 18 "no" votes, 15 came from GOP senators, including Josh Hawley of Missouri, Ted Cruz of Texas and J.D. Vance of Ohio.

Some senators have expressed frustration at legislative action against TikTok being included in the foreign aid package, which includes humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza.

Which Senators Have TikTok Accounts?

Newsweek found nine verified accounts belonging to senators who voted for the TikTok legislation:

Few of these accounts have been used recently. Two of them, for Patty Murray and Raphael Warnock, were apparently created just for campaigning. Meanwhile, Booker and Brown have posted on the platform in the past week.

Newsweek has contacted media representatives for all nine senators via email for comment.

Booker posted on TikTok on Tuesday that he would have voted against the bill if it had been presented as stand-alone legislation, adding that the situation had left him "frustrated as hell."

"The supplemental is what they call a must-pass bill. It has critically needed resources for our allies, as well as something I have fought very hard to include, [which is] close to $10 billion of humanitarian aid that will prevent the loss of life for perhaps millions," Booker said.

"But the TikTok bill, if it was a stand-alone bill, is something I would vote against. That now I'm put in a situation where I'm going to vote for the whole package knowing there's something in it that to me is a massive missed opportunity."

Booker continued: "I think we're missing an opportunity to do something about the larger issues with social media in general, from screen addiction and mental health impact to privacy issues to the proliferation of hate and, yes, real national security issues.

"This is not the way I think government should work. It's one of those frustrating times for me in Washington where someone sticks something that you disagree with onto a must-pass bill as a strategy to get folks to support it, even though they don't," he said.

Newsweek also found imposter accounts and false claims that the following senators had or previously owned TikTok accounts: John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Arizona) and Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi). The senators' offices confirmed this information.

While lawmakers have been keen to avoid calling the proposed legislation a "ban," TikTok previously told Newsweek that it had been "jammed through" into the Senate "for one reason: it's a ban."

On March 13, the House voted 352-65 in favor of the bill forcing ByteDance to sell TikTok in six months or face having the popular app banned in the United States.

The updated TikTok ban within the aid bill, approved by the House on Saturday by a 360-58 vote, gives ByteDance 270 days to sell the app to another company, with provisions for additional 90-day extensions if "significant progress" is made to sell TikTok. Until then, the app will still be available to U.S. users.

TikTok's head of public policy for the Americas, Michael Beckerman, said the company would fight the legislation in court. Newsweek has contacted a media representative for TikTok via email for comment.

Late on Tuesday night, President Joe Biden indicated that he would sign the bill into law when it reaches his desk on Wednesday.

"I will sign this bill into law and address the American people as soon as it reaches my desk tomorrow so we can begin sending weapons and equipment to Ukraine this week," the president said in a statement.

"This critical legislation will make our nation and world more secure as we support our friends who are defending themselves against terrorists like Hamas and tyrants like [Russian President Vladimir] Putin," he added.

Biden's statement did not directly address the possible TikTok ban.