Mnuchin Leads Investor Group Interested in Buying TikTok as House Passes Bill to Ban App Over China Concerns
• Former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he will put together an investor group to buy TikTok after the House passed a bill that would ban TikTok in the U.S. if its China-based owner does not sell its stake
• The House bill passed 352-65 and now goes to the Senate, where its prospects are unclear; if passed and signed, ByteDance would have 180 days to sell TikTok
• Lawmakers acted over national security concerns that China could compel ByteDance to hand over American users' data or use TikTok to spread pro-Beijing propaganda
• TikTok denies it has ever shared U.S. user data with China or could be used as a tool of Chinese authorities
• Mnuchin and others have voiced interest in buying TikTok; experts say it could be challenging to find a buyer who can afford it within months