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A26 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 5 august 2020
Trump's demand for U.S. cut of a TikTok deal is unprecedented

By TALI ARBEL vent use of a service in the
AP Technology Writer U.S."
NEW YORK (AP) — President White House press secre-
Donald Trump's demand tary Kayleigh McEnany
that the U.S. government sidestepped a question
get a cut from a poten- Tuesday about what au-
tial Microsoft purchase of thority the federal gov-
TikTok is the latest unprec- ernment had to collect a
edented scenario in an un- portion of proceeds from
precedented situation. the potential sale of TikTok,
Microsoft is in talks to buy saying "I'm not going to get
parts of TikTok, a forced ahead of the president on
sale after Trump threat- any official action."
ened to ban the Chinese- Treasury did not reply to
owned video app, which questions about what legal
claims 100 million U.S. users precedent Trump is relying
and hundreds of millions on to get a payment for
globally. The Trump ad- the TikTok deal.
ministration says TikTok is a In a statement Sunday, Mi-
national-security concern. crosoft had said that that it
How a ban would have was committed to the deal
worked was not clear; that "subject to a complete se-
federal authority has never curity review and providing
been used before with a President Donald Trump points to a question as he speaks during a briefing with reporters in the proper economic benefits
consumer app. TikTok de- James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, in Washington. to the United States, includ-
nies that it would send U.S. Associated Press ing the United States Trea-
user data to the Chinese sury."
government. nomic adviser Larry Kudlow principal at consulting firm to a U.S. company subject TikTok has said that it is
Microsoft did not address a appeared to walk back Economists Incorporated. to antitrust review, I can't loved by Americans and
potential price when it con- the idea of a payment to "Outside of that I can't think see any logical basis under "will be here for many years
firmed the talks. the Treasury, saying "I don't of any means by which the which Treasury or the White to come." In a memo Byte-
Trump said Monday to re- know if that's a key stipula- U.S. could basically get its House would be negotiat- Dance CEO Zhang Yiming
porters that the U.S. "should tion." vig on its forced transfer." A ing elements of the finan- sent Chinese employees
get a very large percent- TikTok was under review by "vig" is slang for interest on a cial portions of the deal." Tuesday, a translated ver-
age of that price because the Committee on Foreign loan, usually in the context While noting that he is not sion of which ByteDance
we're making it possible," Investment in the United of illegal activity, or the fee an expert in all areas of U.S. sent to The Associated
adding that "we want and States, known as CFIUS, charged by a bookie for a law and the broad author- Press, he said that he felt
we think we deserve to a U.S. government group bet. ity that the president has, the goal of the Trump ad-
have a big percentage of that studies mergers for There's no legal precedent he said the TikTok deal and ministration was not the
that price coming to Amer- national-security reasons, in antitrust law for such a the White House's role in it forced sale of TikTok's U.S.
ica, coming to the Trea- for its acquisition of another payment, said Gene Kim- was highly unusual. "Not in business to an American
sury." video app, Musical.ly, in melman, a senior adviser my experience have I seen company through CFIUS,
Trump sometimes floats 2017. CFIUS collects filing at the advocacy group any engagement from the but "a ban or even more."
ideas or actions that get fees, but those top out at Public Knowledge and a White House in this man- Representatives for Micro-
set aside without follow- $300,000. former antitrust official at ner," he said. "It's already a soft and TikTok did not im-
through. Appearing on "I doubt that's what Trump the Department of Justice. unique situation from start mediately reply to ques-
the Fox Business Network has in mind," said Hal Sing- "In terms of a foreign com- to finish with the govern- tions about the payment
Tuesday, White House eco- er, an antitrust expert and pany agreeing to sell assets ment intervening to pre- demand Tuesday.q
Work resumes on church destroyed on 9/11

By KAREN MATTHEWS Trade Center. latrava resembles a con-
NEW YORK (AP) — After a "We have heard the voice crete bunker. But when
three year halt due to fi- of the Lord and we are re- complete it will feature
nancial problems, work building our church," he marble cladding and a
resumed Monday on a said. central dome flanked by
Greek Orthodox church Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who towers like the two Byzan-
being built to replace one was there to see work re- tine shrines that inspired it,
destroyed in the attack on sume, said the continu- the Church of the Holy Sav-
the World Trade Center on ing reconstruction is more ior in Chora and Istanbul's
Sept. 11, 2001. proof of New Yorkers' persis- Hagia Sophia, which was
Archbishop Elpidophoros, tence to rise from the ashes converted to a mosque last
the leader of the Greek Or- of the terror attacks. month.
thodox church in America, "This St. Nicholas is going Archdiocese officials still
stood on a balcony on the to be more splendid and hope to complete the fa-
unfinished church and used more inviting than the St. cade church by Sept. 11,
Construction resumes on the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox holy water and sprigs of ba- Nicholas that was here be- 2021, the 20th anniversary
Church, Monday, Aug. 3, 2020 at the World Trade Center in New sil to bless the construction fore," he said. of the terrorist attacks, the
York. of the St. Nicholas Greek In its current state, the Rev. Alex Karloutsos, the
Associated Press Orthodox Church and Na- church designed by Span- vicar general of the arch-
tional Shrine at the World ish architect Santiago Ca- diocese, said.q