During a recent interview with NBC News, President-elect Donald Trump said he’s likely to extend TikTok by 90 days to avoid the potential ban of the app in the United States.
The decision comes as the deadline for TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to divest its U.S. operations fast approaches. The deadline is set for January 19, 2025, and if not met, the app could face significant restrictions or even removal from app stores.
The legal landscape surrounding TikTok has been tumultuous. In April 2024, it passed legislation that required ByteDance to sell the U.S. operations of TikTok to a non-Chinese entity or face a ban.
The law allows the sitting president to grant a one-time 90-day extension if certain conditions are met: there must be a viable divestiture plan, significant progress must be demonstrated, and binding legal agreements must be in place during the extension period. But so far, no such deals have been publicly announced, and analysts indicate that any buyer would likely have to spend billions to take over TikTok’s U.S. operations.
TikTok Faces Shutdown Threat
During the interview with Kristen Welker on “Meet the Press,” Trump stated, “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”. He emphasized the need for careful consideration of the situation, which he described as “very big” and complex.
With the deadline looming, TikTok has sounded the alarm over its future in the U.S. market. The company said it will “go dark” on January 19 unless it gets assurances from the Biden administration that the law will be enforced against its service providers.
Its CEO has warned that the company may have to shut down operations in the U.S. if they do not get clear guidance from the government, which could affect more than 170 million American users who use the site for social interaction and sharing content.
.White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre dismissed the warnings from TikTok as a “stunt,” adding that any action over law enforcement would be taken by the Trump administration when he assumes office on Monday. The transition phase has left many users worried about the fate of the app and its availability.
The Supreme Court recently upheld the law requiring ByteDance to divest itself of TikTok, citing national security concerns because of its connections with China. The ruling has intensified scrutiny over how Trump will handle the sensitive issue once he takes office.
TikTok’s Fate Hangs in Balance as Trump Signals Potential Extension Ahead of 2025 Inauguration
Trump’s previous attempts to ban TikTok during his first term were met with legal challenges and were ultimately unsuccessful; however, his current stance appears more open to finding a solution that allows TikTok to continue operating in the U.S.
The potential move by Trump to extend the deadline could give much-needed breathing room for negotiations between ByteDance and potential buyers. It also, however, raises questions about national security and whether such an extension would address concerns lawmakers have raised about data privacy and foreign influence.
As Trump gears up for his inauguration on January 20, 2025, all eyes will be on what he will decide about TikTok. The 90-day extension will allow more room for negotiation and could even prevent an immediate ban.
But it is not clear whether that will be enough to satisfy lawmakers who are concerned about national security and TikTok users who want to be able to keep using their favorite social media app. The situation keeps unfolding in a complex intersection of technology, politics, and public sentiment in an increasingly digital world.
