WASHINGTON — TikTok, the Chinese-owned, teeny-bopper social media platform, has been available to Americans for over five years. That's why the Army's recent decision to ban TikTok has one military flag officer suspecting that the new restriction is less about private security concerns, and more about holding back his rising status as an online influencer.

"It's always easier to snuff out a glowing candle than to make the rest of 'em shine brighter," said Army Gen. Matthew Reid.

Reid, also known on TikTok as Cardi OG, reportedly ruffled Pentagon feathers after uploading his first lip-sync video to pop star Cardi B's hit song, "I Like It."

"Apparently, they didn't like it," said Reid.

According to sources, what started as Reid's personal effort to understand "this social media crap that everyone keeps talking about," eventually led to him creating a TikTok profile where he discovered his true calling in life—music. He even began branching out and writing his own lyrics.

Reid stepped back to…