Former President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday delaying the enforcement of a TikTok ban by 75 days, giving time for negotiations over the app’s U.S. ownership. The ban, set to take effect on Jan. 19, required ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to divest its U.S. operations due to national security concerns.
Trump proposed the U.S. government take a 50% stake in TikTok if a deal is reached, suggesting the U.S. could “create value” by policing the platform. His comments followed a chaotic weekend during which the app briefly went offline, leaving millions of U.S. users uncertain. ByteDance restored access after assurances from Trump that penalties would not be enforced.
The legality of Trump’s order remains unclear, as the divestiture law—backed by Congress and upheld by the Supreme Court—does not grant him authority to extend the deadline. Critics, including Rep. Frank Pallone, accused Trump of bypassing national security legislation.
Trump’s actions mark a reversal from his 2020 attempt to ban TikTok. He credited the platform with helping him win young voters in 2024. Previously proposed deals involving Walmart and Oracle collapsed, but China has now signaled openness to a transaction.
TikTok remains unavailable for download on Apple and Google app stores. Trump directed the Justice Department to assure service providers they face no penalties for supporting TikTok during the extension. However, questions linger about whether ByteDance or other Chinese entities would retain a stake and how U.S. user data security would be addressed.
As U.S.-China relations remain tense, Trump warned of potential tariffs if a deal isn’t approved. The unprecedented proposal for a government equity stake in TikTok raises further uncertainty about the app’s future.
Also read: California Fire Survivors Face Tough Choices: Rebuild or Move On
