U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order delaying the enforcement of the ban on popular short-video app TikTok by 75 days. The ban, which was set to take effect on January 19, has been postponed following the order signed immediately after Trump’s inauguration as the 47th president of the United States on Monday.
While signing the order, Trump suggested that the U.S. government should become a half-owner of TikTok’s U.S. operations in return for allowing the app to continue functioning. He also warned of potential tariffs on China. In response, China’s Foreign Ministry stated that companies should “decide independently” on matters concerning their operations and deals.
ByteDance Yet to Respond
TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, has not issued an official statement regarding the executive order or the ongoing negotiations. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew attended Trump’s inauguration alongside other prominent tech CEOs, highlighting the company’s interest in engaging with the new administration. However, there have been no confirmed reports of discussions between Chew and Trump about the app’s future during the event.
Timeline of Events
The unfolding events mark another chapter in the ongoing saga surrounding TikTok’s operations in the United States. On Saturday, the app, which boasts 170 million American users, was taken offline shortly before a law mandating its sale by ByteDance on national security grounds—or face a ban—was set to take effect on Sunday.
Trump announced plans to “save TikTok” the following day, and the company began restoring its services in the U.S. However, while the app and website are operational, TikTok remains unavailable for download on the Apple and Google app stores as of Monday.
Legal Uncertainties
The executive order signed by Trump directs the Attorney General to refrain from enforcing the law for the specified period, allowing time to “determine the appropriate course of action with respect to TikTok.” Nonetheless, the legality of the order remains uncertain. The law requiring TikTok’s divestiture was passed by significant majorities in Congress, signed by President Joe Biden, and upheld by a unanimous Supreme Court.
Furthermore, the law does not grant the president authority to extend the deadline unless ByteDance has “binding agreements” to sell TikTok, and it is unclear whether any such agreements exist. The order also instructs the Justice Department to issue letters to companies like Apple, Alphabet’s Google, and Oracle, confirming that “there has been no violation of the statute and that there is no liability for any conduct that occurred during the above-specified period.”
It remains to be seen whether Trump’s order will be sufficient to persuade Apple and Google to restore TikTok on their app stores in the United States.
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What could follow after Trump signs TikTok order delaying ban?
cgtn.com
