President-elect Donald Trump On Saturday, he said he might offer a 90-day extension to ByteDance-owned companies Tik Tok Delay or block U.S. ban
what happened: In an interview with NBC on Saturday, Trump said he would “most likely” extend the U.S. ban on TikTok for 90 days.
“I think that’s certainly an option that we’re considering. A 90-day extension is the most likely to be done because it’s appropriate. You know, it’s appropriate. We have to think about it carefully. This is a very big situation, ” Trump said.
This extension will give ByteDance more time to sell products to non-Chinese buyers, in accordance with the law enacted by the President. Joe Biden last year. However, Trump’s final decision on the matter remains to be determined.
The existing deadline for TikTok compliance is midnight Sunday, NBC News reported. The extension announced Monday may not prevent the app from being offline for at least a day. The future of TikTok has been a major question in the final days of the Biden administration.
The Biden administration has said it does not plan to enforce the law, shifting the responsibility to the incoming Trump administration. However, TikTok expressed concern on Friday that the White House’s assurances might not be enough to prevent the app from shutting down.
Also read: TikTok says it will be ‘forced to shut down’ in US on January 19 after Supreme Court upholds ban
Trump’s potential support for TikTok marks a significant departure from his stance during his first term, when he sought to ban the app along with Chinese messaging app WeChat.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, the Biden administration called TikTok’s announcement about a Sunday shutdown a “stunt.”
“This was a stunt and we see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take action in the days before the Trump administration takes office on Monday,” the White House press secretary said. Karine Jean Pierre told Reuters.
“We have made our position clear and direct: the implementation of this law will be the responsibility of the next administration. Therefore, TikTok and other companies should express their concerns.
President Biden’s stance on TikTok has been clear for months, including since Congress overwhelmingly and bipartisanly sent a bill to the president’s desk: TikTok should remain available to Americans, but only U.S.-owned or other ownership that addresses identified national security concerns.
why it’s important: TikTok’s potential ban in the United States has been a contentious issue, with the app’s fate hanging in the balance amid the transition between the Biden and Trump administrations.
The proposed 90-day extension could provide much-needed breathing space for TikTok and its parent company ByteDance, giving them more time to comply with U.S. regulations.
However, the future of the app in the US market remains uncertain until the incoming Trump administration makes a final decision.
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