California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced the launch of a state investigation into allegations that TikTok is censoring content critical of US President Donald Trump.
The Democratic governor, one of Trump’s most outspoken critics, made the announcement on Monday, accusing the president’s administration of undermining basic freedoms in the United States.
“It’s time to investigate. I am launching a review into whether TikTok is violating state law by censoring Trump-critical content,” Newsom wrote on X.
The move follows TikTok’s recent announcement that it has set up a new joint venture to run its US operations. Under the deal, Chinese ownership of the platform would be reduced to 19.9 percent, with majority control shifting to American companies, including businesses linked to Trump allies.
Washington has long pushed to tighten oversight of TikTok, citing national security concerns tied to its Beijing-based parent company, ByteDance.
In a separate post on X, Newsom’s office said it had received reports and independently verified cases of suppressed content critical of President Trump following the platform’s sale to a Trump-aligned business group.
Newsom also shared a screenshot that appeared to show a TikTok user being blocked from sending a message containing the word “epstein”, with the platform stating that it violated community guidelines.
Trump’s past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has drawn renewed scrutiny in recent years, adding to the sensitivity around the alleged censorship.
TikTok has not yet responded to a request for comment.