- Trump has signed an executive order delaying the ban of TikTok for 75 days, allowing time for a potential partnership with ByteDance
- TikTok resumes service in the US after Trump's intervention, following an impending shutdown due to the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act
- President Trump outlines plan for a joint venture between US companies and ByteDance, with a potential $1 trillion valuation
United States president, Donald Trump, has signed an executive order that delays the enforcement of a law aimed at banning TikTok in the United States, offering a 75-day pause on the law’s implementation.
The move gives the new administration time to explore alternatives, including a potential partnership between the US and ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok.
The executive order suspends the enforcement of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which was set to take effect on January 19.
This law would have prohibited the distribution and updates of TikTok in the US, citing concerns over national security, particularly the possibility of the Chinese government using the app for espionage or influencing American public opinion.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, January 20, Trump outlined his plan to explore a 50-50 partnership between the US and ByteDance.
However, he did not provide details on how such a deal would be structured. Trump, who credited TikTok with helping him win the youth vote in his election, expressed a newfound appreciation for the app, stating, "I guess I have a warm spot for TikTok that I didn’t have originally."
This marks a shift in Trump’s approach, as he had previously attempted to ban TikTok over national security concerns during his first term.
The law that sought to ban TikTok had passed overwhelmingly in Congress and was signed by President Joe Biden last year, following fears that the app could be used by the Chinese government for data collection and covert influence.
TikTok had been set to shut down in the US late on Saturday, as the deadline for the law’s enforcement approached, causing frustration among millions of users.
However, following Trump’s executive order, TikTok resumed service on Sunday, January 19, with the company crediting the President’s intervention for allowing the app to continue operations.
Trump proposed the creation of a joint venture between US companies and ByteDance, suggesting that such a partnership could potentially raise TikTok’s value to one trillion dollars.
He also suggested that any potential sale or closure of the app could require approval from the Chinese government, which could be negotiated through tariffs, as he stated, "that would be a hostile act."
The executive order also clarifies that service providers like Apple and Google will not face liability for continuing to host or update TikTok during the 75-day pause.
Additionally, Oracle, which hosts TikTok’s US servers, would also have to comply with the ban unless a resolution is reached within the designated period.
The 75-day pause is designed to give the Biden administration time to explore solutions that balance national security concerns with the interests of TikTok users, who number approximately 170 million in the US.
Donald Trump allegedly plans massive deportation starting Inauguration Day
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that Tom Homan, the incoming “border czar” for President-elect Donald Trump’s administration, revealed plans for significant operations targeting undocumented immigrants beginning on the day of the new president’s inauguration.
Homan, who previously served as acting director of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), described the looming deportation efforts as a “big raid” but explained that they would be “targeted enforcement operations” rather than indiscriminate actions while speaking with Fox News on January 18.
