TikTok Officially in Limbo, Trump Announces His Likely Plan in Response
TikTok emerged from the dark Sunday after President Donald Trump said he would delay a ban on the popular app.
Last year, Congress approved a law later signed by former President Joe Biden that required ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, to divest from the app or have the app banned in the U.S.
Lawmakers said because Chinese companies are required to share information with the Chinese government, the app is a threat fo national security and privacy.
The ban was to take effect Sunday, but the Biden administration indicated it would not enforce it on its last official day in office.
“SAVE TIKTOK!” Trump posted Sunday on Truth Social.
Later Sunday, Trump said he would issue an executive order to delay the ban for 90 days, according to a post on Truth Social.
“I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark! I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security. The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order,” Trump wrote.
“Americans deserve to see our exciting Inauguration on Monday, as well as other events and conversations,” Trump wrote.
Trump also outlined what the future of TiKTok might look like.
“I would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture. By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to say up. Without U.S. approval, there is no Tik Tok. With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars – maybe trillions,” he wrote.
“Therefore, my initial thought is a joint venture between the current owners and/or new owners whereby the U.S. gets a 50% ownership in a joint venture set up between the U.S. and whichever purchase we so choose,” he wrote.
A day earlier, Trump indicated he wanted to consider his options upon taking office, according to NBC, indicating that a 90-day grace period might be created, according to NBC.
The law allowed for a 90-day delay in implementing the ban.
All of that chatter appeared to have had its intended effect, as TikTok sprang back to life late Sunday — and specifically thanked the 45th-and-47th President of the United States:
TikTok has ended. pic.twitter.com/EryEASxxME
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) January 19, 2025
“I think that would be, certainly, an option that we look at. The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it’s appropriate. You know, it’s appropriate. We have to look at it carefully. It’s a very big situation,” Trump said.
“If I decide to do that, I’ll probably announce it on Monday,” he said.
TikTok had said in advance it planned to go dark on Sunday, and carried through with its threat before returning to operations in the U.S. after Trump’s post.
TikTok users in the US are now seeing this message, in which the social media platform gives the man who started the effort to ban the app in the first place credit for ‘saving it’ pic.twitter.com/96KK3waBGc
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) January 19, 2025
On Friday, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled the law does not violate the First Amendment, according to The Hill.
“There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community,” the court’s opinion said.
“But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary,” the opinion said.
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