Markey criticizes lack of transparency over the agreement and calls on Congress to investigate

Boston (January 23, 2026) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, released the following statement following news that the U.S. and China have signed off on a deal over TikTok.

“After over a year of Donald Trump illegally extending the TikTok deadline, this TikTok deal raises many more questions than answers. Despite my repeated requests for information, the White House has provided virtually no details about this agreement, including whether TikTok’s algorithm is truly free of Chinese influence. This lack of transparency reeks. Congress has a responsibility to investigate this deal, demand transparency, and ensure that any arrangement truly protects national security while keeping TikTok online.”

In November 2025, Senator Markey wrote a letter to President Donald Trump, requesting a briefing on the status of the TikTok deal and answers to questions on the terms of the deal. President Trump has not responded to the letter.

In July 2025, Senator Markey released a discussion draft of legislation, called the TikTok Transparency and Data Security Act, that would address the national security risks posed by ByteDance’s ownership of TikTok without banning an application. In March 2025, Senator Markey, along with Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Chris Van Hollen D-Md.), sent a letter to President Donald Trump, requesting additional information on any efforts to keep TikTok online in the United States and urging the Administration to work with Congress on any potential resolutions to the TikTok ban. President Trump has not answered Senator Markey’s letter. On April 9, 2025, Senator Markey asked for unanimous consent to pass his Extend the TikTok Deadline Act on the Senate floor. Senate Republicans blocked it.

On January 16, 2025, Senator Markey, along with Senators Booker (D-N.J.) and Van Hollen (D-Md.), sent a letter to former President Joe Biden urging him to trigger the 90-day extension in the Protection Americans’ Data from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act to allow ByteDance additional time to divest from TikTok. On January 15, 2025, Senators Markey, Booker, and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Congressman Ro Khanna (CA-17) introduced the Extend the TikTok Deadline Act, legislation that would delay the January 19 deadline by which ByteDance must sell TikTok or face a ban, by an additional 270 days.

In December 2024, Senators Markey and Rand Paul (R-Ky.), along with Congressman Khanna, submitted a bipartisan, bicameral amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse the D.C. Circuit Court's decision in TikTok Inc. v. Garland, which upheld the TikTok ban established under the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. On December 19, Senators Markey and Paul sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to provide TikTok owner ByteDance with a 90-day extension to either sell TikTok or face the ban.

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