TikTok logo on a smartphone screen and flags of China and US. Trump gives TikTok 75 days to sell US business or face disaster.
Credit: Shutterstock, Ascannio
President Donald Trump, known for his bold moves, has once again stirred the political waters with an executive action delaying the much-anticipated TikTok ban for 75 days.
This move comes after Trump promised on January 19 to sign an order that postpones the enforcement of the TikTok ban. The action, signed on January 20, tells the U.S. Justice Department to hold off on implementing the Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, a law passed with bipartisan support under President Biden. The law, which was supposed to kick in on January 19, mandated a TikTok shutdown unless ByteDance, the app’s Chinese parent company, sold the platform to an American or allied buyer.
TikTok is running out of time
Thanks to Trump’s intervention, TikTok – loved by 170 million Americans – was up and running again by the afternoon of January 19. The brief shutdown, lasting 14 hours, was a drama-filled roller coaster for its users, including influencers whose working life depends on the app. TikTok expressed its gratitude, thanking Trump for the ‘clarity and assurance‘ provided to its tech partners, including Apple, Google, and Oracle, which had been poised to face fines for continuing support.
Trump’s U-turn on TikTok
The president shrugged off national security concerns about China harvesting data from young kids, joking, “If China is going to get information about young kids out of it, to be honest, I think we have bigger problems than that.”
Trump further asserted his power, saying he had the authority to either “sell it or close it.” Whether this saga will lead to a lasting resolution for TikTok’s U.S. fate is yet to be seen.
A shaky road ahead for TikTok’s future in the US
Despite the 75-day reprieve, the platform’s future remains uncertain. Trump’s executive action buys some time for ByteDance to negotiate a sale, but so far, the company has been adamant about not parting with TikTok’s U.S. assets. Rumours have circulated that ByteDance may even try to sell the platform’s popular algorithm separately, which many consider the app’s ‘secret sauce.’
But will a sale appease Congress? Some Republican lawmakers, including Senators Tom Cotton and Pete Ricketts, are adamant that TikTok must sever all ties with China before it can operate in the U.S. These lawmakers argue that without a full divestment, Americas’ security and privacy will continue to be at risk.
A TikTok bidding war?
There’s talk of potential buyers stepping up to the plate. Among the interested parties are billionaire Frank McCourt and Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary, both reportedly keen to snap up TikTok’s U.S. assets. However, even if a sale does happen, ByteDance is unlikely to let go of the app’s prized algorithm, which makes it a global sensation.
Reports have even surfaced claiming that China might consider selling TikTok’s U.S. operations to Elon Musk – a Trump supporter with the deep pockets to make it happen. But for now, this is just a rumour, and TikTok has dismissed it as pure fiction.
With Trump’s action only temporarily extending the deadline, questions remain about whether ByteDance will strike a deal. The 75-day delay might buy time for a resolution, but it also invites more scrutiny. Both sides are digging in their heels, and the fate of TikTok’s future in the U.S. will continue to make waves for months to come.
Get more news from around the US.
Read more news in English from around Europe.
