US President-Elect Donald Trump Set to Save TikTok Before Ban, Details Emerge
- US President-elect Donald Trump is set to intervene to save TikTok before a ban on the app is due to take effect this weekend, according to incoming national security adviser Mike Waltz
- Chinese owner ByteDance planned to shut off the app for its 170 million US users by Sunday, prompting both the Trump and Biden administrations to seek solutions
- The Supreme Court was expected to deliver a decision soon, with significant implications for TikTok's future in the US
US President-elect Donald Trump is set to intervene to save TikTok before a ban on the app is due to take effect this weekend, according to his incoming national security adviser, Congressman Mike Waltz.
Waltz, a Florida Republican, stated that Trump would act if the Supreme Court upheld a law banning the platform in the US unless it was sold by 19 January.
Source: Getty Images
In its final week, the Biden administration was also exploring ways to prevent TikTok from suddenly disappearing, as reported by NBC News.
Chinese owner ByteDance had announced plans to shut off the app for its 170 million US users by Sunday.
Measures to Keep TikTok Running
Waltz assured that measures would be put in place to keep TikTok from going dark, noting that the law allowed a 90-day extension for ByteDance if significant progress was made towards a sale.
This extension would essentially buy President Trump time to keep TikTok operational.
A day earlier, Waltz hinted on Fox News that Trump was planning an executive order to suspend the ban.
However, it remained unclear whether such a measure could circumvent a law passed by Congress.
National Security Concerns
The app had been banned on national security grounds due to concerns that its data could be collected by the Chinese Communist Party.
Despite this, Trump invited TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew to attend his presidential inauguration next Monday, sitting in a position of honour on the dais.
Trump had previously asked the Supreme Court to delay the ban, which would go into effect one day before he was sworn into office, to seek a "political" solution.
Congress had passed a bipartisan law last year giving ByteDance nine months to find a US-approved buyer or face a ban.
Legislative and Judicial Actions
The legislation did not forbid the use of the app but required tech giants like Apple and Google to stop offering it and inhibit updates, which analysts suggested would kill it over time.
President Joe Biden signed the bill into law last April as part of a package that provided aid to Ukraine and Israel.
NBC News reported that Biden, too, was considering ways to keep the app available if a ban went into effect.
TikTok and ByteDance denied any links to the Chinese government and ruled out a sale. The Supreme Court heard arguments against the law last week, with a decision expected any day.
Reversed Stances
Both Biden and Trump had reversed their stances on the platform. Trump, who attempted to ban the app during his first term, stated on the campaign trail this year that he would protect it.
Trump, Vance Release Official Portraits
Legit.ng reported that as the countdown to inauguration day continues, President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance have released their official portraits.
This, however, has sparked widespread attention and discussion. In the new portrait, Trump showcases his trademark serious demeanour, with a furrowed brow and direct gaze into the camera. The US President-elect was dressed in a dark suit adorned with an American flag lapel pin.
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Source: Legit.ng
