A Republican Senator’s grilling of TikTok’s Singaporean CEO sat on the fence between idiotic and racist

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Zhou was grilled by the House Energy and Commerce Committee for five hours over the possibility of the social media platform’s links to the Chinese government, which it vehemently denies.

Republican Senator Tom Cotton pursued an extraordinary line of questioning, going full House Un-American Activities Committee with his determination to find out whether the Singaporean was a member of the Chinese Communist Party.

Watch how it played out.

Sen. Tom Cotton: "Have you ever been a member of the Chinese Communist Party?"

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew: "Senator, I'm Singaporean. No."

Cotton: "Have you ever been associated or affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party?"

Chew: "No, senator. Again, I'm Singaporean." pic.twitter.com/1pZaQ64Wxz

— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 31, 2024

His line of questioning earned him a thorough panning on the internet. These comments reflect the public verdict.

1.

It’s truly amazing how just aggressively stupid every single conservative is https://t.co/xy7hKUA4FI

— evan (@esjesjesj) January 31, 2024

2.

What do you expect from people who think Africa is a country??

— Nai⁷|follow limit | layover & Golden (@meiliara_n) January 31, 2024

3.

Tom Cotton: "Singaporean?? What is that like, Chinese or something?"

— Eastman (@kickxX3astmanXx) February 1, 2024

4.

I’m still shocked at the ignorance of Republicans. Marjorie Taylor Greene is incapable of reading numbers with more than 4 digits and Tom Cotton thinks Singapore is in China.

Bloody hell, people. These are elected officials. pic.twitter.com/Gc6tmwBQQB

— Jane of the North (@JaneotN) February 1, 2024

5.

lol SNL couldn't have written anything better

— 1ronBangle (@1ronBangle) January 31, 2024

6.

Tik Tok CEO: I was born and raised in Singapore, I even served in their military.
Tom Cotton: So you’re a Chinese communist, got it.
Tik Tok CEO: I’m from Singapore.
Tom Cotton: So you’re Chinese.pic.twitter.com/QaTwnAg2j4

— Walter Masterson (@waltermasterson) January 31, 2024

7.

Tom Cotton is a Russian nesting doll of douchebaggery.pic.twitter.com/VMKUzMmeHH

— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) January 31, 2024

8.

“ARE YOU AFFILIATED WITH THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY?”

– Tom Cotton pic.twitter.com/VQfy28tkDv

— Jack E. Smith ⚖️ (@7Veritas4) February 1, 2024

9.

Cotton: “Don’t let my Harvard diploma and fake Ranger credentials fool you. I’m unapologetically a moron.”

— Jack E. Smith ⚖️ (@7Veritas4) January 31, 2024

10.

finally, Tom Cotton gives us what the people demand:

Joe McCarthy, But More Racist

— SDL (@SocDoneLeft) January 31, 2024

11.

Tom Cotton: “Have you ever been Chinese?”

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew: "Senator, I'm Singaporean.”

Tom Cotton: “So that makes you what? Korean?”

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew: "No.”

Tom Cotton: “Is that because you’re Japanese? Which is just another word for Chinese so you lied!”

— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) January 31, 2024

12.

"Have you ever been a member of the Chinese Communist Party?"

"Sir, this is a Long John Silver's." pic.twitter.com/rp7zwrR4OY

— Victor De Anda (@VictorDeAnda) February 1, 2024