The Free Press

Trump has proposed making TikTok a joint venture—with 50 percent U.S. government ownership. So, Mr. President: Strike a deal if you can. Use every bit of leverage you have. We’ll be rooting for that. But remember why TikTok refused to consider a sale after you issued two executive orders telling them that they had to, or when Congress said much the same.

ByteDance will never sell TikTok, because TikTok is not a social media app with normal corporate incentives; it’s a weapon. America is the target of that weapon.

And in the meantime, the law must take effect. Because in our republic, it is the Congress that writes the law. If President Trump disagrees, he can try to change Congress’s mind.