With a U.S. ban on TikTok looming just hours away, President-elect Donald Trump signaled he is "most likely" to grant the app a 90-day extension to avoid immediate disruption. Speaking to NBC News on Saturday, Trump said he plans to review the situation thoroughly, with an official decision expected Monday, following his inauguration.

The potential reprieve comes as ByteDance, TikTok's Beijing-based parent company, faces a legal mandate to divest its U.S. operations or see the app banned nationwide. Passed last year, the law requires ByteDance to finalize a sale by Sunday unless granted a presidential extension.

A proposed deal from artificial intelligence firm Perplexity AI emerged Saturday, aiming to merge with TikTok's U.S. operations. The proposed $50 billion transaction excludes ByteDance's coveted algorithm, which fuels TikTok's personalized video recommendations. Meanwhile, other interested parties, including a consortium led by investor Kevin O'Leary, have reportedly offered $20 billion for TikTok.

Despite ByteDance's reluctance to sell, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is set to attend Trump's inauguration, signaling potential negotiations. The app, used by 170 million Americans, has threatened to "go dark" on Sunday without further assurances from the government regarding enforcement timelines.

The Biden administration, in its final days, has deferred responsibility to Trump. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre dismissed TikTok's demands as a "stunt," reiterating that enforcement will fall to the incoming administration. "We see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take action before Monday," she said.

The Supreme Court's unanimous decision Friday to uphold the TikTok ban adds to the uncertainty. While TikTok and ByteDance argued the law violates free speech protections, the Court rejected their appeal, reinforcing the divestiture deadline.

If TikTok goes dark, U.S. users could lose access to updates, eventually rendering the app nonfunctional. The company warned that even a brief shutdown could result in significant financial losses, including a projected 29% dip in global advertising revenue for 2025.