Donald Trump hinted that TikTok could receive a 90-day pause on its US ban, allowing more time for a potential sale.
Washington: So, Donald Trump just said that TikTok might get a 90-day break from the US ban. This comes after a law kicked in that could have shut the app down completely.
Basically, TikTok went dark just before the law was supposed to take effect. The app, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, was facing a deadline to either be sold to a US buyer or face cancellation.
There’s been a lot of chatter about national security concerns, with folks worried about ByteDance’s ties to the Chinese government. But ByteDance insists they have no connections.
Now, around 170 million users in the US can’t post or view anything on TikTok. The app even sent out a message saying they’re sorry for the inconvenience but hinted that Trump might help them out once he’s back in office.
Trump, who has a whopping 47 million followers on TikTok, mentioned he’s considering giving the app more time to find a buyer. He’s set to be sworn in soon, so things could change quickly.
Congress has made it clear: TikTok needs to be sold by January 19, 2025, or it’s game over. Trump thinks extending the deadline is a solid option, saying it’s “appropriate.”
He can grant a one-time 90-day extension, but there are some rules. First, there needs to be a clear plan to sell the app. Second, there has to be real progress on that sale. And third, there must be legal agreements in place to make it happen.
Trump didn’t share any updates on whether there’s been any movement on selling TikTok. It’s interesting because he initially tried to ban the app during his first term, but that didn’t go through.
He even met with TikTok’s CEO last year, and just recently, he chatted with Chinese leader Xi Jinping about the app’s future.
As for President Biden, he’s stepping back from TikTok negotiations and leaving it all to Trump once he takes over. It’s a wild ride, and we’ll have to see how this all plays out!
