The United States has long grappled with balancing national security, economic interests, and the principles of individual freedom. Recent controversies surrounding the potential banning of TikTok and the rising concern over Chinese land ownership in the U.S. highlight glaring inconsistencies in how these issues are approached. While the Biden administration’s recent actions against TikTok are being heralded as necessary national security measures, the muted response from the left to China’s encroaching land purchases near sensitive areas reveals a troubling double standard. This article explores these issues, exposing how both the left and, to a lesser extent, the right have failed to address the broader implications of Chinese influence.

TikTok: A Convenient Political Football

TikTok, a popular social media app owned by Chinese company ByteDance, has been the subject of national security debates for years. The app’s alleged data harvesting practices and its ties to the Chinese government have sparked concerns about surveillance and influence campaigns.

Under the Trump administration, attempts to ban TikTok were met with fierce opposition, especially from Democrats and progressive commentators. These critics accused the administration of overreach, xenophobia, and prioritizing political theatrics over genuine national security concerns. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) criticized Trump for bypassing legal procedures, stating, “The president cannot simply bypass established legal procedures to ban an application used by millions without transparent justification.” Similarly, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) called out the move as an assault on youth culture and digital creativity.

Fast forward to the Biden administration, and the same initiative—this time framed as a necessary step for national security—has gained widespread acceptance. The hypocrisy is stark: actions once deemed authoritarian and misguided are now being lauded as prudent governance simply because they come from a different political figure.

This shift exposes the left’s tendency to prioritize optics over consistency. Rather than acknowledging the validity of security concerns raised by the previous administration, Democrats waited until their own leadership embraced the issue before offering support. Such selective outrage undermines the credibility of national security efforts and erodes public trust.

Chinese Land Ownership: The Overlooked Threat

While TikTok dominates headlines, a more insidious issue has quietly developed: Chinese entities purchasing significant tracts of U.S. land. As of recent estimates, Chinese nationals own approximately 383,935 acres of agricultural land in the U.S., a figure that, while relatively small compared to other foreign ownership, includes land near sensitive military installations.

One alarming example occurred in Grand Forks, North Dakota, where a Chinese company purchased land near an Air Force base. This acquisition raised significant security concerns, as the proximity to critical infrastructure posed potential surveillance risks. Yet, despite these red flags, federal action has been minimal, and state-level responses have been inconsistent.

Democratic lawmakers, so quick to rally against TikTok, have largely ignored the implications of foreign land ownership. Their inaction stands in sharp contrast to states like Florida and Texas, where Republican-led legislatures have moved to restrict Chinese ownership of land near sensitive sites. By failing to address this issue with the urgency it deserves, the left has shown a troubling lack of foresight in safeguarding national interests.

A Misplaced Focus

The fixation on TikTok, an app primarily used for sharing dance videos and short skits, seems almost laughable when juxtaposed with the far-reaching implications of Chinese land ownership. While TikTok’s potential to harvest user data is a legitimate concern, the idea that it poses a greater threat than physical control over land near military installations is absurd.

Both sides of the political spectrum deserve criticism here, but the left’s inconsistency is particularly egregious. By vilifying Trump’s efforts to curb TikTok and ignoring Chinese land purchases, Democrats have shown a willingness to prioritize partisan politics over national security. Meanwhile, the right, despite its stronger stance on land ownership, has largely failed to build a cohesive policy framework to address foreign influence comprehensively.

Conclusion: The Need for Consistency

National security cannot be a partisan issue. The selective outrage surrounding TikTok and the blind spot regarding Chinese land ownership reveal a dangerous inconsistency in U.S. policy. Democrats’ initial opposition to Trump’s TikTok ban and their tepid response to foreign land purchases highlight a prioritization of political optics over genuine security concerns. Republicans, while more proactive on land ownership, must also broaden their approach to include digital threats.

It’s time for policymakers to address these challenges with a unified, principled strategy. This means treating national security as a nonpartisan issue, whether the threat comes from a social media app or a foreign land acquisition. Anything less is a disservice to the American people and a failure to uphold the principles of sovereignty and safety that the country stands for.