President Trump signs executive order to delay TikTok ban
President Trump signed an executive order giving TikTok a 75-day extension to comply with laws requiring the platform to be sold or banned.
He said that during this period, the United States will not enforce the law passed by Congress last year and signed by former President Joe Biden.
The order is located at Trump signed a series of directives Monday night.
“I'll tell you what,” he told reporters in the Oval Office. “Every rich person calls me and talks about TikTok.”
Asked by reporters why he had changed his mind since trying to ban TikTok in 2020, Trump responded: “Because I have to use it.”
He raised the possibility of a joint venture, saying he was seeking a 50:50 “American” partnership with its Chinese owner ByteDance. But he did not provide any further details on how it would work.
Trump also said potential new trade tariffs against China could depend on an agreement on ownership of the platform. He said if Beijing refused to reach a deal “it would be an act of hostility”.
Saturday night, Chinese-owned app stops serving US usersafter a law went into effect that banned doing so on national security grounds.
Restored service to 170 million users Trump said he would issue an executive order suspending the app's use after taking office.
The Biden administration has argued that TikTok could be used by China as a tool for espionage and political manipulation.
Opponents of the ban cited free speech as a reason to keep the platform open.
TikTok parent ByteDance has previously ignored a law requiring it to sell its U.S. operations to avoid a ban.
The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the law and takes effect Sunday, but the Biden White House said it would leave implementation of the law to the incoming administration because of the timing.
Trump supported banning the platform during his first term.
The newly signed executive order puts him at odds with many members of Congress from his own party.
On Sunday, Republican Sen. Tom Cotton said in a post on fine.
Cotton said liability could stem not just from the Justice Department, “but from securities laws, shareholder lawsuits and state attorneys general. Think about it.”
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew was in attendance along with other tech giants including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos Trump's inauguration on Monday.
Earlier on Monday, YouTube star Mr Beast posted a TikTok video in which he was apparently on a private jet preparing to formally make an offer to acquire the short-form video platform.
The post provided no other details about the offer, other than to say it would be “crazy.”
Other companies, billionaires and celebrities have also expressed interest in buying TikTok, including X owner Musk and TV show “Shark Tank” investor Kevin O'Leary.
Additional reporting by Michelle Fleury