In a surprising move, President-elect Donald Trump revealed today that he’s considering issuing an executive order to prevent TikTok from facing a permanent ban in the US.
In a post on his Truth Social account, Trump voiced plans to extend ByteDance’s deadline to sell its popular video-sharing platform TikTok to a US buyer. The announcement came as millions of TikTok users found themselves unable to access the app after it was pulled from Google and Apple stores in compliance with federal law that commanded such action if no sale occurred by Sunday.
Trump’s proposed order aims to delay the effects of this law, stating there would be “confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order.” Expressing the importance of Americans witnessing Monday’s Inauguration and other pivotal moments, he noted the law allows the president to grant a 90-day extension if there’s a genuine effort for a sale. Although offers were made, ByteDance had earlier remarked it wasn’t looking to sell.
Trump hinted at desiring a “50% ownership position in a joint venture” in his post but left ambiguity hanging over whether he meant government or corporate American ownership. He said his order would “extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect” and “confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order.”
“Americans deserve to see our exciting Inauguration on Monday, as well as other events and conversations,” Trump wrote. The law gives the sitting president authority to grant a 90-day extension if a viable sale is underway. In his post on Sunday, Trump said he “would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture,” but it was not immediately clear if he was referring to the government of an American company. “By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to say up,” Trump wrote. “Without US approval, there is no Tik Tok. With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars – maybe trillions.”
The federal law required ByteDance to sever connections with TikTok’s U.S. operations by Sunday over national security worries linked to the app’s Chinese origins. The legislation received strong support from both parties back in April, and was swiftly signed off by President Joe Biden. However, TikTok and its parent company ByteDance didn’t take this lying down—they took their fight to the courts on First Amendment grounds, and on Friday, the US Supreme Court upheld the new rules.
In a shocking turn for millions of TikTok enthusiasts across the states, as of Saturday night, users couldn’t scroll or post any fresh videos. “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S.,” a notice popped up to tell folks trying to use the app. “Unfortunately that means you can’t use TikTok for now.”
But the early shutdown by TikTok caught users off guard. Tech gurus had previously mentioned that while the law would mean app stores couldn’t sell the app, those who already had TikTok could continue enjoying videos until it naturally became obsolete without updates. Apple informed its customers that it also removed other apps developed by TikTok’s China-based parent company, including one promoted as an alternative by some social media influencers.
On Friday, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the law, deciding that the national security risk posed by TikTok’s ties to China outweighs concerns about limiting speech for the app’s 170 million users in the United States. Trump’s declared intention to issue an executive order on his first day in office sparing a trendsetting social media platform known for its often silly videos featuring dances, music clips, and lifestyle advice reflects the political considerations surrounding TikTok and the timing of the ban.
Despite playing a role in enacting the nationwide ban and the Supreme Court, the Biden administration emphasised in recent days that it did not plan to implement or enforce the ban before Trump takes office on Monday. During his first term in the White House, Trump issued executive orders in 2020 banning TikTok and the Chinese messaging app WeChat, moves that courts subsequently blocked.
However, when momentum for a ban emerged in Congress last year, he expressed a change of heart. Trump has since credited TikTok with helping him win support from young voters in last year’s presidential election. Apple has confirmed on its website that three TikTok apps, along with eight other apps developed by ByteDance, have been pulled from the US market. Access may also be restricted for visitors to the country.
The unavailable apps include CapCut, Hypic, and Lemon8, which share similarities with TikTok. Apple stated, “Apple is obligated to follow the laws in the jurisdictions where it operates.” Although the apps will remain on devices where they are already installed, further in-app purchases and new subscriptions are not possible, and future iOS updates might impact their functionality.
Despite the nine-month window since Congress enacted the sell-or-ban law, no definitive buyers for TikTok have come forward, and ByteDance has maintained it won’t sell. However, Trump expressed optimism that his administration could broker a deal to “save” the app. TikTok CEO Shou Chew is poised to enjoy prime seating as he attends Trump’s inauguration. Late on Saturday, Chew shared a video offering gratitude to Trump for his commitment to maintaining TikTok’s availability in the U.S., praising the president for taking a “strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship.”
“We are grateful and pleased to have the support of a president who truly understands our platform. One who has used talk to express his own thoughts and perspectives, connecting with the world and generating more than 60 billion views of his content in the process,” remarked Chew. On the investment side, Perplexity AI, an emerging artificial intelligence firm, recently suggested a merger with TikTok’s U.S. operations to ByteDance, based on insights from someone in the know. Importantly, Perplexity isn’t looking to buy ByteDance’s proprietary algorithm, which has made TikTok so irresistible by customising video feeds to user interests.
Meanwhile, interest in TikTok from various investors continues to soar. Kevin O’Leary of “Shark Tank” fame disclosed that he and fellow billionaire Frank McCourt are fronting a group ready to offer ByteDance an eye-watering $20 billion (£16.4bn) cash for TikTok. Also, Steven Mnuchin, former Treasury Secretary under Trump, confirmed last year that he was assembling a consortium to acquire TikTok.
In Washington, lawmakers and administration officials have long expressed concerns about the app, arguing it poses a national security threat due to its Chinese ownership and the vast amount of information it collects about American users. Officials have also cautioned that the algorithm that drives what users see on the app is susceptible to manipulation by Chinese authorities, who can use it to shape content on the platform in a way that’s hard to detect.
However, so far, the U.S. has not publicly provided evidence of TikTok handing user data to Chinese authorities or meddling with its algorithm to favour Chinese interests. After TikTok’s service began going dark, some in China criticised the U.S. and accused it of suppressing the popular app. In a post on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, Hu Xijin, a former editor-in-chief for the Chinese Communist Party-run newspaper Global Times, said “TikTok’s announcement to halt services in America marks the darkest moment in the development of internet.”
“A country that claims to have the most freedom of speech has carried out the most brutal suppression of an internet application,” said Hu, who is now a political commentator. TikTok does not operate in China, where ByteDance instead offers Douyin, the Chinese counterpart of TikTok that adheres to Beijing’s strict censorship rules.
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