TikTok enlists army of lobbyists as suspicions over China ties grow

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has threatened to ban the app over surveillance concerns

TikTok, the wildly popular social media app known for its viral dance and lip sync clips, has been embraced by millions of students, celebrities and young adults across the United States. But the company’s ties to China could cripple its existence.

TikTok, which is owned by the China-based ByteDance, has become the latest target in the Trump administration’s long simmering security and economic battle with Beijing. It is now desperately trying to convince lawmakers and administration officials that its allegiance lies with the United States, not China.

The social media company, which one year ago had virtually no lobbying presence in the