TikTok CEO Shou Chew refused to answer questions on Thursday about whether the Chinese government has influence over the popular social media app as lawmakers mull a ban of the platform.
Chew was walking out of the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. when he was asked nine times about the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) relationship with the app.
"Mr. Chew, can you say with 100% certainty that the Chinese government does not have any influence over TikTok? Can you say with 100% certainty that the Chinese government does not have any influence over TikTok?" FOX Business correspondent Hillary Vaughn asked.
"Project Texas over the last three, four years," Chew said, referring to a TikTok initiative to protect users' data and privacy. He refused to give a yes or no answer.