TikTok CEO Quits as Company Faces Threat of Ban in US

By Dana Cruz First Posted: Aug 27, 2020 05:35 AM EDT

Disney+ Showcase Presentation At D23 Expo Friday, August 23

(Photo : Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
Former chairman of Direct-to-Consumer & International division of The Walt Disney Company Kevin Mayer took part in the Disney+ Showcase at Disney’s D23 EXPO 2019

TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer has quit from the Chinese-owned video sharing app following a recent threat by President Donald Trump to ban the app in the United States, the Financial Times reported.

Mayer said the recent weeks after the ban threats have made him reflect on the changes the TikTok will go through.

In a memo that the CNN Business obtained, he said: "It is with a heavy heart that I wanted to let you all know that I have decided to leave the company."

The company recognized that the TikTok CEO had a sharp change in responsibility due to the ban threat. A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that they fully respect Mayer's decision.

TikTok CEO Roughly 100 Days

Mayer became the TikTok CEO after dropping his top position in Disney four months ago. He had only been with TikTok for roughly three months.

The move appeared to be with the goal of boosting the app's credentials in the U.S. and improve its standing with American regulators.

He probably didn't see the company as a popular target of politicians. But since then, the app had been through a lot of pressure from the U.S. government.

Along with this, they were threatened by Trump to ban their U.S. operations.

In the meantime, current TikTok general manager Vanessa Pappas will lead the company, said an End Gadget report.

Mayer's departure came, while the company is still negotiating a deal to buy out to American entities. He first promised a push for transparency while hoping to persuade the government that the app does not pose a threat to national security.

In his statement he clarified that his decision to quit had nothing to do with the company. He said he believes TikTok has a "bright" future.

He ended his statement by saying his role as TikTok CEO, amid ban threats, has been a "big draw" for him.

TikTok Files Lawsuit Countering Ban Threat

The news came just days after TikTok's move to sue the U.S. government over its upcoming ban, said a TechCrunch report.

TikTok argued that Trump's executive order banning the company from operating in the U.S. has deprived them of due process. They added that they were "unfairly" and "incorrectly" treated as a security threat by the Trump administration.

"The [Trump] administration ignored our extensive efforts to address its concerns, which we conducted fully and in good faith," TikTok wrote in a press release.

Suing the government isn't something the company took lightly, but they felt like they have no choice but to protect their rights. The lawsuit can be considered one of TikTok's most public legal pushbacks against the U.S. government.

Mayer joined TikTok in May this year. He left his job as head of direct-to-consumer content at Disney where he oversaw the launch of Disney Play, reported The Verge.

He played an important role in some of Disney's most notable acquisitions. Some of the most important purchases are Marvel Entertainment in 2009, Lucasfilm in 2012 and the 21st Century Fox last year.

He left Disney after Disney named Bob Chapek the new CEO. Mayer was long considered a frontrunner for the CEO position.