President-elect Donald Trump has said he will likely sign an executive order after assuming office on Monday to give TikTok a 90-day reprieve.
In a phone interview with NBC News, Trump said he hadn’t yet made a final decision but was considering the extension of the Sunday deadline for the app.
An extension would give the China-based parent company of the app to sell to a non-Chinese buyer or face a ban across the states.
He told the outlet: ‘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. If I decide to do that, I’ll probably announce it on Monday.’
His comments came after The Supreme Court allowed the ban to go into effect in the United States on Friday.
The court handed down its decision after TikTok argued a law banning the app would violate their users’ First Amendment rights.
Last year, Congress passed a law banning TikTok unless its Chinese parent company ByteDance sells its stakes by January 19, 2025.
U.S. officials raised concerns that the wildly popular app is a national security concern with the collection of Americans’ data. But as the clock ticked down on the deadline, no deal has materialized.
TikTok, along with some users and creators sued in an effort to block the ban. But their efforts were rejected by lower courts, leaving them with no choice but to appeal to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case on January 10, where it signaled it would not interfere with the ban going into effect on Sunday
In that decision on Friday, the country’s highest court noted that the provisions of the law in question were content neutral, targeting a foreign adversary’s control of a platform rather than targeting particular speech.
Some 170 million Americans use the video app, and some warned that banning the Chinese-owned app would disrupt the business and livelihoods of millions of Americans.
The path forward now depends on how the incoming Trump administration responds as the CEO of TikTok Shou Zi will be seated in a place of honor with other tech leaders at President-elect Trump’s inauguration on Monday.
Hours after the Supreme Court announced its decision, Trump said he had discussed the video sharing app with China’s leader Xi Jinping on a phone call.
Trump confirmed the call with a post on his Truth Social platform, saying: ‘The call was a very good one for both China and the U.S.A. It is my expectation that we will solve many problems together, and starting immediately.
‘We discussed balancing Trade, Fentanyl, TikTok, and many other subjects. President Xi and I will do everything possible to make the world more peaceful and safe!”
Following the Supreme Court ruling Trump had also said: ‘The Supreme Court decision was expected, and everyone must respect it.
‘My decision on TikTok will be made in the not too distant future, but I must have time to review the situation. Stay tuned!’
During his first term in office, Trump raised concern that TikTok was a national security threat, but he has since done a 180 and changed his tune.
Last month after winning the election, Trump met with TikTok’s CEO at his Mar-a-Lago estate and signaled he wanted to stop the ban.
‘I have a little bit of a warm spot in my heart I’ll be honest,’ Trump told reporters of the video streaming app.
He credits the app for helping him make gains with young people in the 2024 election.
It’s not exactly clear what the app will look like when users go to use it after it’s banned on Sunday.
Influencers on the app meanwhile have been sharing videos of them crying over the move.
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