Rodgers made a point of telling Chew he was under oath and obligated to tell the truth. Other lawmakers repeated that warning during the long-awaited hearing on Thursday, underscoring how little trust there was between the panel and its witness. While that made for a one-note performance, there were several memorable moments:
TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi sought to protect his company from a potential US ban or forced sale during a four-and-a-half hour congressional hearing that rarely deviated from the hostile note on which it began.
“Your platform should be banned,” Energy and Commerce Committee chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers said at the opening. “I expect today you’ll say anything to avoid this outcome.”
