Trump issues order to ban transactions with TikTok's Chinese owner

President Donald Trump ordered an unspecified ban on “transactions” with the Chinese owners of the consumer apps TikTok and WeChat

Trump signs executive order banning transactions with TikTok parent after 45 days (Bloomberg)

President Donald Trump signed an executive order prohibiting US residents from doing any business with TikTok or the apps' Chinese owner ByteDance Ltd., beginning 45 days from now.

The move comes as Trump seeks the divestment of the popular video app, citing national security risks to the US It threatens penalties on any US resident or company that engages in any transactions with TikTok or ByteDance after the order takes effect.

“This mobile application may also be used for disinformation campaigns that benefit the Chinese Communist Party,” Trump said in the order, released Thursday by the White House. 

The data collection through TikTok “threatens to allow the Chinese Communist Party access to Americans' personal and proprietary information -- potentially allowing China to track the locations of Federal employees and contractors, build dossiers of personal information for blackmail, and conduct corporate espionage.”

TikTok representatives didn't immediately respond to request for comment.