Biden speaks at APAICS gala with TikTok as sponsor after signing bill that could ban app in U.S.

President Biden addressed the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies’ (APAICS) annual gala on Wednesday night, which was sponsored by companies including TikTok, after signing a bill that could lead to a ban on the popular app in the U.S.

According to the official APAICS webpage, companies such as Google, Walmart, Amazon and AT&T were also sponsors of the event. 

In late April, Biden signed a $95 billion foreign aid package into law that contained provisions to force the sale of TikTok to a U.S. entity or face a ban on the app in the U.S.

TikTok has sued the U.S. government over the law, calling it unconstitutional. 

Congresswoman Judy Chu, D-Calif., who voted for the bill that could lead to a ban on TikTok, was among the honorees at the gala. 

During his address at the event, Biden knocked his 2024 presidential election GOP opponent Donald Trump for opposing the border deal that was previously reached in the Senate. The deal was ultimately blocked by Senate Republicans from advancing on the Senate floor. Trump and Republicans in Congress had opposed the amount of migrants it permitted to enter the country before a border closure would be triggered.

“That bipartisan bill has majority support in the House and Senate. But I was told, that other guy, that loser,” Biden said, referring to Trump, and taking a pause.

“I think he’s having trouble. Trump called Republicans to block that Senate bill, got on the phone and said it’d be a win for Biden and a loser for him, so they have to make sure you don’t allow it to get to a vote,” Biden added.