Gov. Abbott facing calls to return $6million donation from TikTok billionaire after banning the app in state government buildings and leading the charge for it to be outlawed nationwide

After bragging that he led the charge to ban TikTok, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is now facing calls to return a $6 million donation from a TikTok billionaire as a bill to ban the social media platform nationwide moves through Congress.

The US House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill Wednesday with a 352 - 65 vote, forcing the app's parent company, ByteDance, to sell TikTok to an American company to keep the Chinese government from spying on US app users.

'Texas leads. Washington follows. Glad to see the U.S. House pass legislation to force TikTok to split with the Chinese Communist Party,' he tweeted. 

For over a year, the Lone Star State has had its own ban on the Chinese-owned app, blocking state employees from using it on work devices.

TikTok advocates gathered outside of the Capitol ahead of Wednesday's vote to push back against the bill

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (left) was in London Wednesday meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (right) as the UK is Texas' ninth largest trading partner, the governor's office said

Users cannot access to it on WiFi paid for by state tax dollars, such as at public universities and state buildings.

US officials have warned about the security threat the app could pose to Americans-- as they accuse the Chinese Communist Party of using the foreign-own app to spy on Americans and track their locations.

As part of the bill, if ByteDance doesn't sell, app stores and web hosting platforms would not be allowed to distribute it in the U.S.

After applauding action by Congress to ban the popular video platform nationwide, Abbott faced backlash for his tweet.

'Don't you take Chinese campaign donations,' said user @tek_captain.

'So you're returning the $6 million in tiktok money or no? We're all waiting on your answer,' posted local political analyst Scott Braddock.

Jeffrey Yass, founder and managing director of Susquehanna International Group, LLP, was an early investor in TikTok's parent company, ByteDance. 

Abbott received, the 'largest single donation in Texas history,' with a $6.25 million gift from TikTok billionaire Jeff Yass in December, reported the Texas Tribune.

Known as the richest man in Pennsylvania with an estimated net worth of $29 billion, Yass' investment firm Susquehanna invested in TikTok's parent's company, ByteDance, in 2012 before TikTok had even been developed, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Susquehanna's 15% stake is now estimated to be 15% and worth about $21 billion.

The Republican Yass also donates to conservative causes, including trying to push school vouchers, which would allow public dollars to be used for private schools.

In October, the billionaire gave Abbott $250,000.

In December, he wrote a second check to help the GOP governor get candidates elected in Texas who would back school vouchers. 

Last year, Abbott's suffered a humiliating defeat when 21 state House Republicans joined Democrats to kill Abbott's voucher bill.

Abbott had spent nearly all of 2023 gathering support for it and even called two special sessions to force lawmakers to take up the issue time and time again. 

Now Abbott is helping to fund the campaigns of candidates he believes can defeat the Republicans who voted down school vouchers. 

Abbott's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.