President-elect Donald Trump announced plans to issue an executive order on Monday to delay the U.S. ban on TikTok, hours after the app went offline for millions of American users. Writing on Truth Social, Trump emphasized his intention to keep the platform operational while a solution is negotiated, stating, "I'm asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark!"
The bipartisan law, which took effect Sunday, bans TikTok unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, divests its U.S. operations. While ByteDance has resisted selling, Trump's proposal includes a joint venture that grants the U.S. a 50% ownership stake, a move he claims would protect national security. "This is about saving TikTok while safeguarding Americans' data," said Trump, suggesting the arrangement could bypass the need for a full divestiture.
TikTok's abrupt shutdown left its 170 million U.S. users in limbo, with a message in the app stating it had gone dark in compliance with the new law. The company appealed to Trump for clarity, citing national security concerns as the reason for the law, which was unanimously upheld by the Supreme Court last week.
Trump's executive order would extend the period for compliance by 90 days, provided there is progress toward a "qualified divestiture." However, it remains unclear whether ByteDance has made any significant moves toward such a deal. "The 90-day extension is something that will most likely be done, because it's appropriate," Trump said in an interview with NBC News, adding that a final decision will be announced Monday.
Incoming National Security Advisor Rep. Mike Waltz echoed Trump's stance, emphasizing that the administration is working with tech companies to restore the app. "This is about giving the tech ecosystem confidence that a solution is in progress," Waltz told CNN.
Critics, however, remain skeptical of Trump's approach. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle argue that ByteDance's ties to the Chinese government pose an ongoing threat. "Now that the law has taken effect, there's no legal basis for any kind of 'extension,'" said Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., a staunch advocate for the ban.
Apple and Google removed TikTok from their app stores on Saturday night, citing their obligation to comply with the law. Trump has urged these companies and other service providers to keep TikTok accessible, promising no liability for their cooperation.
Despite the controversy, Trump's intervention has drawn mixed reactions. Some, like Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., expressed disappointment over the shutdown, saying, "I will not stop fighting to fix this mistake in the United States." Others criticized Trump's push for a joint venture, questioning its feasibility given ByteDance's reluctance to sell.
