TikTok CEO Kevin Meyer has resigned as the Chinese-owned video-sharing app faces a backlash from US President Donald Trump.
"In recent weeks, as the political environment has changed drastically, I have been thinking a lot about what structural changes require for the company, and what that means for the global role that I have been involved in," Meyer said in a note to employees obtained by CNN Business. .
"Against this background, and since we expect to reach a solution very soon, I wanted with a heavy heart to inform you all that I decided to leave the company," he added.
"The role that I have been involved in - including managing TikTok globally - - will look very different as a result of the administration's work to push for the sale of American businesses," Meyer said in the memo. "I have always focused on globalism in my work, and has been leading a global team in Tik Tok is a big attraction for me in the United States. "
Vanessa Papas, a former YouTube executive who joined TikTok last year to become the general manager of North America, Australia and New Zealand, will act as the interim president of TikTok globally, according to Mayer's memo. Papas tweeted Thursday that she is "proud and humble" to take on her new role.
Quick resignation
TikTok hired Mayer, a former senior Disney executive, less than four months ago to run the app, the first Chinese-owned app to gain traction in Western countries.
In addition to the CEO's responsibilities, Meyer became chief operating officer at ByteDance, the parent company of the app, which had been criticized by the US government, and Trump threatened to block the app if it was not sold.
A TikTok spokesman said in a statement, "We appreciate that the political conflicts in the past few months have significantly changed Kevin's role in the future, and we fully respect his decision."
"I want you all to know that I truly appreciate the endless hours that you have worked with ... the entire team is doing an amazing job, competing effectively against some of the world's largest tech companies to win the hearts and minds of users and brands, by offering a truly unique online experience," the spokesperson wrote.
Even before Trump issued executive orders calling for a TikTok ban, the company was rethinking its corporate structure. The Wall Street Journal reported in early July that ByteDance was considering setting up a headquarters for the video app outside China or a new board of directors to separate the app from the state.
According to Trump's executive orders, TikTok poses a threat to national security, because the app collects a lot of data on users, which "threatens to allow the Chinese Communist Party to access personal and American-owned information."
The move against TikTok is part of an escalating technology war between the United States and China that has already infected other Chinese apps and technology companies, such as WeChat and Huawei.
TikTok has 100 million users in the United States, as the company is considering selling its business - which industry experts say is worth between $ 40 billion and $ 50 billion - to Microsoft or Oracle.
Microsoft said it was involved in a deal to buy TikTok operations in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, as well as US businesses.