US announces billion-dollar aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan

The President of the United States, Joe Biden, signed, this Wednesday, April 24, a foreign aid package that totals more than 95 billion dollars destined, mainly for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

This strategic action aims to strengthen international partners amid geopolitical intensifications.

The allocated funds are distributed as follows: Ukraine will receive US$61 billion; Israel, US$26 billion and Taiwan, US$8.12 billion.

This financial movement is complemented by other strategic measures, such as the ban on TikTok in the US and the intensification of sanctions against Iran.

Aid to Ukraine is especially critical as the country continues to face significant challenges due to the protracted conflict on its territory.

As announced by President Biden, $1 billion in military aid is planned to be sent immediately, in response to urgent requests from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

TikTok ban

Biden also signed into law a law that requires the social networking app TikTok to be sold to a company trusted by Americans within a maximum period of 270 days. If this does not happen, the platform will be taken offline in the country.

The main concern of US authorities is related to the allegation that TikTok is collecting sensitive data from American users. The government argues that this practice represents a risk to national security, as there is fear that China could use this information for espionage activities. However, TikTok vehemently denies this accusation.

If the company does not comply with the American decision, technology giants Apple and Google will be forced to remove TikTok from their app stores, the App Store and Play Store, respectively.

According to the G1, TikTok’s chief executive, Shou Zi Chew, stated after Biden signed the law into law that the company hopes to win a legal challenge against this legislation. “Don’t worry, we’re not going anywhere,” he said in a video published moments after the law was signed. “The facts and the Constitution are on our side and we hope to prevail again.”

Freedom of expression rights

TikTok, with about 170 million users in the US, also claimed the move infringes on free speech rights. The company signaled its intention to challenge the constitutionality of the law through legal action.

Historically, distrust of TikTok in the US has been fueled by its ability to ByteDance accessing data from American users, raising fears of manipulation and espionage in favor of the Chinese government. These concerns were heightened during the Trump administration, which also attempted to restrict the app’s operations.

The context of the new legislation included its inclusion in a broader legislative package involving economic assistance to strategic allies such as Ukraine and Israel, a strategy that accelerated its approval.