WASHINGTON DC, UNITED STATES - MARCH 22: U.S. representative for New York's 16th congressional district Jamaal Bowman participates as TikTok content creators gather outside the Capitol to voice their opposition to a potential ban on the app, highlighting the platform's impact on their livelihoods and communities in Washington DC, United States on March 22, 2023. Bowman emphasized the platform's role in promoting free speech and fostering community. (Photo by Nathan Posner/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
President-elect Donald Trump is considering issuing an executive order to postpone the TikTok ban set to take effect on Sunday. This move would pause enforcement of the law for 60 to 90 days, according to anonymous sources cited by The Washington Post.
The ban stems from concerns over TikTok’s ties to its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, and its potential links to the Chinese government. Trump’s inauguration on Monday coincides with the deadline for ByteDance to sell its US assets or face a nationwide ban.
Under the ban, Americans could still use TikTok, but new downloads would be blocked, and the app’s performance would degrade over time due to a lack of updates. ByteDance has until January 19, 2025, to comply with the law signed by President Joe Biden in April 2024, which requires the sale of TikTok’s US operations to an American entity.
While TikTok recently appealed the ban to the Supreme Court, the justices are expected to let the law proceed as planned.
Trump, who has more than 14 million TikTok followers, has vowed to “save” the app once in office. However, experts caution that an executive order alone may not effectively reverse the ban. Alan Rozenshtein, a former Department of Justice adviser, told The Washington Post that executive orders are limited in power, describing them as “press releases with nicer stationery.”
The most direct way to overturn the policy would be to repeal the law entirely, which would require congressional approval. Another option would involve instructing the Department of Justice not to enforce the law, allowing companies like Apple and Google to continue hosting TikTok without penalties. However, this approach might lead to compliance issues, as companies may still choose to follow the ban to avoid future legal risks.
TikTok is reportedly preparing to suspend its US services if the ban goes into effect. Users attempting to access the app would see a pop-up message redirecting them to a website with information about the ban. The company also plans to offer users the option to download their personal data.
Despite the looming ban, TikTok sources say the app could resume operations for US users relatively quickly if the decision is reversed. For now, the platform continues to operate as usual, but the countdown to Sunday’s deadline has left millions of users uncertain about the app’s future.
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