In a significant shift from his earlier stance on TikTok, President Donald Trump has signed an executive order granting the popular social media app a 75-day extension to comply with U.S. regulations that could lead to a ban or forced sale of its operations in the country. The move effectively delays the law passed by Congress last year and signed by former President Joe Biden, which required TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, to divest its U.S. operations over national security concerns.
Trump’s executive order halts any immediate action on enforcing the law during the 75-day period, giving TikTok more time to find a solution. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump remarked that he had received numerous calls from wealthy individuals expressing their interest in the TikTok issue, acknowledging the platform’s significant influence and the importance of a potential deal.
Previously, Trump had been an outspoken advocate for banning TikTok, citing concerns that the app could be used by China for espionage and political manipulation. However, in a surprising turn, Trump suggested the possibility of a 50-50 partnership between the U.S. government and ByteDance, though he did not provide specific details on how such a deal would function. He further stated that potential trade tariffs on China could be linked to an agreement over TikTok’s ownership.
Despite Trump’s move to delay the ban, the app has faced significant challenges in recent days. On Saturday evening, the Chinese-owned app was temporarily disabled for U.S. users after a law banning it over national security concerns came into effect. Although services resumed for the platform’s 170 million American users after Trump’s intervention, TikTok remains unavailable for download on both the Apple and Google app stores.