Updated Saturday with Donald Trump’s comments: The incoming president said he would “most likely” give TikTok a 90-day extension under a law upheld by the Supreme Court yesterday to be sold or banned by tomorrow’s deadline.
In a phone interview with Learn about journalism NBC News moderator Kristen Welker said she could give TikTok a reprieve after he takes office on Monday.
“I think that would certainly be an option that we would look at. The 90-day extension is the thing that would probably be implemented, because it’s appropriate. You know, that’s appropriate. We have to look at it carefully. It’s a very big situation,” Trump said.
He said he had not made a final decision. Although he also sought a sale or ban in his first term, Trump recently said he would like to avoid banning the popular app, which has more than 170 million American users.
A bipartisan bill passed by Congress and signed by President Biden last year cited national security concerns and set a Jan. 19 deadline to sell or ban TikTok, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance. The law — the Protecting Americans from Controlled Apps by Foreign Adversaries Act — includes a 90-day extension if the sitting president determines there are good faith sales efforts underway.
The issue is what happens tomorrow. Biden remains in office but has submitted the decision to the administration of Donald Trump, who will be sworn in on Monday. The law is clear and in theory, Apple and Google would need to remove TikTok from their app stores on Sunday. TikTok said yesterday that it would not wait for that but would remain closed tomorrow unless it gets more clarity from the current White House.
Updated Saturday with White House comment: It turns out TikTok is just as confused as the rest of us after the Supreme Court ruling this morning. SCOTUS upheld a law that would lead to a ban on the popular app, which has more than 170 million US users, on Sunday.
This happens to be the last day of the Biden administration, as Donald Trump is scheduled to be sworn in on Monday. In a statement issued earlier today, the White House said that due to the tight timing, the Biden administration would leave implementation of the law to the Trump administration.
TikTok has now made itself clear. He needs more clarity from the Biden administration and the Justice Department about his status as of Sunday or he will be forced into the dark. Donald Trump doesn’t want to ban TikTok, and has said he will find out something, but without details or timing. He can’t do anything officially until Monday. This couldn’t be more bizarre.
“Statements issued today by both the Biden White House and the Department of Justice fail to provide the necessary clarity and assurance to the service providers who are integral to maintaining the availability of TikTok for more than 170 million Americans,” TikTok said in a statement.
“Unless the Biden administration immediately provides a final statement to satisfy the most critical service providers to ensure non-implementation, unfortunately, TikTok will be forced to cease operations on January 19.”
The White House issued a statement today from Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre describing the TikTok threat. “It’s a ruse, and we see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take action in the next few days before the Trump administration takes office on Monday. We’ve made our position clear and straightforward; enforcement of this law will fall to the next administration. So TikTok should Other companies will address any concerns with them.”
The bipartisan Protecting Americans from Foreign Controlled Apps Act, based on national security concerns, was signed by President Biden last year and gave TikTok until Sunday to sell itself to a US entity or be banned. There is one offer and a lot of speculation but no sale imminent. The ban means it will be dropped from the Apple and Google app stores. In this case, existing users will still have access to the application but without upgrades or gradual degradation. However, the scenario TikTok just cooked up on Friday is that it will take the plunge and disappear.
It’s a bit of brinksmanship. Despite the law’s passage, the Biden administration may not want its final action to be the disappearance of a hugely popular app. Members of Congress, overwhelmed by voters’ votes, have also spoken in recent days and weeks of postponing the ban. TikTok is holding their feet to the fire.
There’s a lot riding on it — for TikTok’s creators, its massive advertising dollars, its cultural currency, US relations with China, and, by law, national security. Trump said he spoke today with the Chinese president, including about TikTok, which is owned by Chinese social media giant ByteDance. TikTok CEO Shou Chew met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago and will be present at the inauguration.
“On behalf of everyone at TikTok and all of our users across the country, I want to thank President Trump for his commitment to working with us to find a solution that keeps TikTok available in the United States,” he said in a video post earlier today. “
“We are grateful and thrilled to have the support of a President who truly understands our platform, a President who has used TikTok to express his own ideas and viewpoints, connecting with the world and generating over 60 billion views of his content in the process,” he said.