Categories: Business

Trump considers 90-day TikTok reprieve after inauguration

FILE - President-elect Donald Trump speaks at a meeting with Republican governors at Mar-a-Lago, on Jan. 9, 2025, in Palm Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

President-elect Donald Trump suggested he may grant TikTok a 90-day reprieve from a U.S. ban, giving its parent company, ByteDance, additional time to divest from Chinese ownership.

In a phone interview with NBC News’ Kristen Welker on Saturday, Trump said the extension is “most likely” but not yet finalized.

“I think the 90-day extension is appropriate. It’s a very big situation, and we have to look at it carefully,” Trump stated, adding that any decision would likely be announced Monday after his inauguration.

TikTok’s Uncertain Future as Deadline Looms

The current deadline for compliance is Sunday, leaving TikTok’s millions of U.S. users uncertain if the app will go dark. President Biden’s administration has passed the enforcement responsibility to Trump’s team. TikTok has warned that without clear assurances, the app may temporarily suspend operations.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called TikTok’s statements a “stunt,” reiterating that the matter now falls to Trump’s administration. Biden signed the law last April requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations or face a nationwide ban due to concerns over national security and data privacy.

Lawmakers Push for Action Amid Legal Uncertainty

The Supreme Court upheld the law Friday, rejecting TikTok’s argument that it violated free speech. Trump, however, requested a pause to explore alternatives, signaling potential openness to keeping the app operational under specific conditions.

Despite his initial efforts to ban TikTok during his first term, Trump has softened his stance. This shift follows a meeting with an American investor in TikTok and growing recognition of the app’s widespread use in the U.S., where his own accounts have amassed significant engagement.

Tech Giants and TikTok’s CEO Join Inauguration Events

TikTok CEO Shou Chew is set to attend Trump’s inauguration, joining other tech leaders in Washington. Chew thanked Trump for his efforts to keep the app running, while ByteDance continues to seek a buyer for TikTok’s U.S. operations—a transaction that could cost tens of billions of dollars.

As Trump prepares to take office, TikTok’s future hangs in the balance, with fans and lawmakers alike awaiting the final decision on the app’s fate.

Herbert Bauernebel

Herbert Bauernebel has been reporting from New York since 1999 and currently works for Bild.de, OE24 TV, and US Live. He also runs the news portal AmerikaReport.de. Bauernebel has covered nearly all major US events of the past quarter-century, including 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, Barack Obama’s election, Donald Trump’s surprise victory, the pandemic, last year’s election showdown, as well as natural disasters such as hurricanes and oil spills. He has also reported firsthand on international events, including the Asian tsunami, the Haiti earthquake, and the Fukushima disaster. He lives in Brooklyn with his family and holds degrees in communication and political science from the University of Vienna. Bauernebel is the author of a book about his experiences on 9/11, And the Air Was Full of Ash: 9/11 – The Day That Changed My Life.