President Donald Trump has signed an executive order providing TikTok with a 75-day extension to comply with a law requiring the platform to either be sold or face a U.S. ban. During this period, enforcement of the law, passed under the Biden administration, will be paused, Trump announced on Monday.
The order is part of a series of directives signed by the president, who described receiving calls from “every rich person” about TikTok during a conversation with reporters in the Oval Office. Asked why he reversed his 2020 position advocating for TikTok’s ban, Trump quipped, “Because I got to use it.”
Trump also floated the idea of a joint venture to manage TikTok, suggesting a 50-50 partnership between the United States and its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. However, he did not provide details on how such an arrangement would function. He warned that if a deal is not reached, his administration may impose new tariffs on China, calling Beijing’s rejection of a deal “somewhat of a hostile act.”
TikTok Ban Temporarily Halted
The controversy surrounding TikTok, which has 170 million U.S. users, reignited over the weekend when the platform ceased operations in the U.S. as the law banning it on national security grounds went into effect. TikTok resumed service after Trump promised an executive order extending its deadline. However, the app remains unavailable for download on Apple and Google app stores.
The Biden administration had previously argued that TikTok posed risks of surveillance and political manipulation by the Chinese government. ByteDance failed to comply with a law mandating the sale of its U.S. operations, prompting the Supreme Court to uphold the ban last Friday. Despite this, the Biden White House deferred enforcement to the new administration due to timing.
Mixed Reactions from Congress and Business Leaders
The extension has drawn criticism from members of Trump’s own party. Republican Senator Tom Cotton warned that businesses supporting TikTok could face “hundreds of billions of dollars in fines” under various legal avenues, including securities law and shareholder lawsuits. Cotton’s concerns reflect the broader Republican skepticism about TikTok’s national security implications.
Meanwhile, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew attended Trump’s inauguration on Monday alongside other tech leaders, including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos. Speculation about potential buyers has intensified, with YouTube star MrBeast sharing a TikTok video hinting at an official bid for the platform. Other notable figures, including Musk and investor Kevin O’Leary, have also expressed interest.
The executive order signals a complex balancing act for Trump, as he navigates national security concerns, freedom of speech debates, and mounting interest from potential buyers. For now, TikTok’s fate remains uncertain as the 75-day countdown begins.
