Pam Bondi, Trump's choice for attorney general, declines to talk about TikTok ban at Senate hearing
WASHINGTON ? President-elect Donald Trump's choice to become U.S. attorney general, Pam Bondi, told senators Wednesday she couldn't discuss at her confirmation hearing whether she would enforce a law that threatens to ban TikTok.
The former Florida attorney general cited pending litigation over the mega-popular video platform. But Bondi said she would consult with Justice Department officials about it.
Sunday is the deadline for TikTok's Beijing-based parent company, ByteDance, to sell its U.S. assets or allow the app to face a nationwide ban unless the Supreme Court moves to block it.
TikTok has asked the Supreme Court to delay or overturn the deadline, and a decision is pending.
Supreme Court justices asked Friday during a hearing about the ban whether Trump could choose not to enforce the law because he has said he would "save" the company.
Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the top lawyer representing the federal government before the Supreme Court, has said the president has discretion about how to enforce laws.
But she said Trump should review national security information about the company when he returns to office Monday before making his decision.
At Bondi's confirmation hearing, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., asked if she would enforce the law, signed by President Joe Biden last spring, because of Trump's support for TikTok.
“TikTok will be banned unless it is sold because it has become a tool for the Chinese to collect information and do surveillance and endanger our national security,” Blumenthal said. “Can you commit you will enforce that law promptly and effectively.”
Trump's solicitor general during his first administration, Noel Francisco, represented TikTok before the Supreme Court asking for a delay in the deadline.
“I can’t discuss pending litigation,” Bondi said. “But I will talk to all the career officials – prosecutors – who are handling the case, absolutely.”
In a later round of questions, Blumenthal asked if she would defend all laws as attorney general.
“Will you defend laws of the United States of America against constitutional attacks, I’m asking in general,” Blumenthal said.
“In general, yes,” Bondi said.
But she said she couldn’t comment on defending the TikTok ban in particular.
“I’m not trying to hedge on anything, senator, I just can’t comment on anything,” Bondi said.
Contributing: Eric Lagatta and Greta Cross
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bondi, Trump's AG pick, refuses to discuss TikTok ban with Senate