TikTok ban extension under consideration by Trump as content creators wait
TL/DR –
President-elect Donald Trump has said he is “most likely” to give TikTok a 90-day reprieve from a potential ban once he takes office. The Chinese-owned video-sharing app, used by 170 million Americans, faces a ban due to national security concerns raised by a bill signed by President Joe Biden. To continue operating in the U.S., TikTok would need to divest its U.S. operation, which various potential buyers, including artificial intelligence search engine company Perplexity AI, have expressed interest in acquiring.
President-Elect Trump Likely to Extend TikTok Ban Deadline
(Article updated with recent developments)
TikTok users in the U.S. received positive news on Saturday from President-elect Donald Trump.
Trump told NBC News he is likely to extend TikTok’s 90-day grace period from a potential ban once he assumes office on Monday.
The video-sharing app, TikTok, used by 170 million Americans, is threatened with a ban due to a bill passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden in April 2024. The bill addressed concerns about the Chinese-owned TikTok posing a serious threat to national security.
TikTok stated they would be forced to “go dark” on Sunday unless Biden administration and Justice Department provide more clarity about the ban’s enforcement. The Biden administration has stated it has no plans to enforce the ban. On the other hand, Trump has shown willingness to find a way to keep TikTok operational, including possibly finding a buyer or operator for TikTok’s U.S. operations.
Trump said to NBC News, “The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done. We have to look at it carefully.”
“If I decide to do that, I’ll probably announce it on Monday,” Trump added.
TikTok Ban: Uncertainty Despite Biden Administration’s Stance
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre referred to TikTok’s statement seeking clarity from the Biden administration as “a stunt.” She said actions to implement this law will fall to the Trump Administration.
There have been potential buyers for TikTok’s U.S. assets, including a bid from Frank McCourt, billionaire and former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Kevin O’Leary, one of the hosts of the ABC reality series “Shark Tank.”
Another bidder emerged on Saturday: artificial intelligence search engine company Perplexity AI, CNBC reported.
What Time Will TikTok Shut Down?
The ban becomes effective on January 19, which means the app could become inoperable as early as 12:01 a.m. ET Sunday. The TikTok app depends on service providers like Oracle and Amazon Web Services to function, as reported by The New York Times.
Why Does the U.S. Government Want to Ban TikTok?
Ironically, Trump who called for a ban on TikTok in his first term raised concerns about the collection of U.S. citizens’ data by the Chinese government. TikTok has consistently refuted these allegations, stating it has never been asked to provide U.S. user data to the Chinese government, and wouldn’t comply if asked.
Trump declared a national emergency related to TikTok in August 2020, alleging the app gave Beijing access to “Americans’ personal and proprietary information.”
After President Biden issued a new executive order and signed a bill banning TikTok, there have been growing concerns about Beijing spying on Americans and spreading propaganda via TikTok.
Contributing: Riley Beggin, Greta Cross, Maureen Groppe, Jessica Guynn, Joey Harrison, Bailey Schulz and Mary Walrath-Holdridge of USA TODAY, plus Reuters.
Follow Mike Snider on Threads, Bluesky and X: mikegsnider & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider.
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