WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump announced plans on Sunday to sign an executive order shortly after taking office to delay enforcement of a law banning TikTok unless its parent company, ByteDance, sells the app.
“I’m urging companies not to let TikTok go dark!” Trump stated on his TruthSocial platform. “On Monday, I’ll issue an executive order extending the timeline before the law takes effect so we can secure a deal that protects national security. The order will also ensure no liability for companies that helped keep TikTok operational during this transition.”
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the law on Friday, and TikTok became inaccessible to U.S. users Saturday night. Reports indicate Google and Apple removed TikTok from their app stores to comply with the legislation.
Trump expressed interest in finding a way to maintain TikTok’s presence in the U.S., proposing a joint venture in which the U.S. government would hold a 50% ownership stake.
“This approach would safeguard TikTok under trusted management while maximizing its value,” Trump wrote. “With U.S. approval, TikTok could be worth hundreds of billions, potentially trillions.”
The bipartisan law, passed last year, mandated ByteDance to divest from TikTok by Sunday or face exclusion from U.S. app stores. Despite challenging the law on First Amendment grounds, TikTok lost its case at the Supreme Court.
Supreme Court Ruling and National Security Concerns
The Supreme Court’s ruling highlighted national security concerns related to TikTok’s data practices and ties to China, emphasizing that divestiture was necessary. The decision has created a complex situation for Trump, who once sought to ban TikTok during his first term but now supports its continuation under new conditions.
Trump hinted at resolving these issues through discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping, stating on TruthSocial, “President Xi and I had a productive conversation on trade, TikTok, and other matters. We are committed to addressing these challenges together.”
TikTok CEO and Other Tech Leaders to Attend Inauguration
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration on Monday. Other prominent tech leaders, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who both donated to Trump’s inaugural committee, are also anticipated to be present.
Chew expressed gratitude to Trump in a social media post, saying, “This represents a significant stand for free expression and against unwarranted censorship.”
Bipartisan Support for TikTok Legislation
The law requiring TikTok’s divestiture received overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress and was signed by President Joe Biden, who left its enforcement to the incoming Trump administration. National security officials had flagged ByteDance’s ties to the Chinese government as a critical concern.
Although TikTok maintains that it is primarily owned by global investors, including BlackRock and Susquehanna International Group, approximately 20% of the company remains under its Chinese founders’ control.
Future of TikTok in the U.S.
Trump’s executive order aims to buy time for negotiations to retain TikTok’s U.S. presence while ensuring national security concerns are addressed. Whether the app will continue to operate or face further restrictions will depend on the new administration’s actions and potential agreements with ByteDance or new owners.
