Trump Approves Delay in TikTok Ban

President Trump has issued an executive order providing TikTok with a 75-day extension to meet the requirements of a law mandating the platform’s sale or ban.

During this period, the US will refrain from enforcing the law, which was passed by Congress last year and signed by former President Joe Biden.

The order was part of a series of directives Trump signed on Monday evening.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, he said: "I tell you what. Every rich person has called me about TikTok."

When a reporter asked why he had changed his stance on banning TikTok since 2020, Trump replied, "Because I got to use it."

He suggested the idea of a joint venture, proposing a 50-50 partnership between "the United States" and ByteDance, its Chinese owner. However, he did not elaborate on how such an arrangement would function.

Trump also mentioned that any potential new trade tariffs on China could depend on reaching an agreement regarding the platform's ownership. He added that if Beijing were to reject a deal, it would be considered "somewhat of a hostile act."

On Saturday evening, the Chinese-owned app ceased functioning for American users after a law banning it on national security grounds came into effect.

However, it resumed services for its 170 million users in the US after Trump announced he would issue an executive order to grant the app a reprieve upon taking office.

However, on Monday, TikTok remained unavailable for download from the Apple and Google app stores.

The Biden administration had expressed concerns that TikTok could be used by China for spying and political manipulation.

Critics of the ban have argued that it infringes on freedom of speech and should remain accessible.

TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, had previously disregarded a law mandating it to sell its US operations to prevent a ban.

The law, which was upheld by the Supreme Court on Friday, took effect on Sunday. However, the Biden administration stated it would leave the law's enforcement to the incoming administration due to the timing.

During his first term, Trump had supported a ban on the platform.

The newly signed executive order now puts him at odds with several members of his own party in Congress.

On Sunday, Republican Senator Tom Cotton posted on X, stating that any company involved in "hosting, distributing, servicing, or otherwise facilitating communist-controlled TikTok" could face fines amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars.

Cotton added that liability could arise not only from the Department of Justice, but also under securities law, shareholder lawsuits, and state attorneys general. "Think about it," he said.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew attended Trump's inauguration on Monday, alongside other prominent tech leaders such as Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos.

Earlier that day, YouTube star MrBeast shared a TikTok video, seemingly from a private jet, where he mentioned he was en route to make an official offer to purchase the short-video platform. The post offered no further details about the offer, only describing it as "crazy."

Other companies, billionaires, and celebrities, including X owner Musk and Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary, have also shown interest in acquiring TikTok.