Shortly after the inauguration ceremony on Monday, President Donald Trump enacted an executive order that extends the deadline for ByteDance to divest TikTok’s US operations, ensuring that the app remains operational for an additional 75 days.
According to the executive order, the US Attorney General is instructed to refrain from enforcing the law that would ban TikTok and compel platforms like Apple and Google to remove the app from their stores. TikTok did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
Just days ahead of the January 19 deadline, Trump hinted that he would “save” TikTok once he took office. In a Saturday interview with NBC News’ Kristen Welker, Trump mentioned that he would allow ByteDance more time to find a buyer but did not clarify his approach. “We have to examine it thoroughly. It’s a significant matter,” he stated.
In a post on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump confirmed that the extension would be executed via an executive order, allowing his administration to negotiate with ByteDance. He expressed a preference for a 50 percent joint venture deal with ByteDance, ideally involving a US partner.
“By doing this, we save TikTok, ensure it is in capable hands, and allow it to continue operations,” Trump noted. “Without US authorization, TikTok would not exist. With our endorsement, it could be valued at hundreds of billions—perhaps trillions.”
Neither ByteDance nor TikTok has publicly commented on Trump’s proposal. During the Monday signing event, Trump indicated that TikTok’s CEO Shou Zi Chew would be in favor. Trump mentioned that private companies might participate in financing the negotiation process. “I believe there are many interested parties in TikTok with the United States as a collaborator,” he remarked.
The executive order does not directly reference a divestiture; instead, it states that the 75-day extension allows for the “opportunity to decide on the appropriate course of action in an orderly manner.”
The urgency to keep TikTok operational followed a significant ruling from the US Supreme Court. On Friday, the court upheld a law mandating the sale of TikTok to an American entity to prevent a nationwide ban. This ruling occurred merely two days before the law was set to take effect.
Just before midnight on Saturday, TikTok users were notified that the app was no longer accessible to US users due to the sell-or-ban legislation. Shortly thereafter, Apple and Google removed the app from their stores, along with other ByteDance-owned applications such as CapCut, Lemon8, and Marvel Snap. TikTok remained down for approximately 15 hours before the company announced its reinstatement.
“In coordination with our service providers, TikTok is currently working on restoring service. We appreciate President Trump for offering the essential clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will not face penalties for providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans, enabling over 7 million small enterprises to flourish,” the company stated on Sunday evening.
The divestiture law has encountered opposition from both political parties. “In Washington DC having meetings aimed at lifting this TikTok ban,” posted Soulja Boy on X over the weekend, as the musician was in town for a cryptocurrency industry inauguration celebration.
Numerous American investors have considered purchasing the app, including former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin from Trump’s administration. McCourt’s Project Liberty submitted a formal bid following the Supreme Court’s announcement. Elon Musk’s name was also mentioned in discussions regarding a deal with the Chinese government, as reported by Bloomberg.
On Monday, Trump indicated he might implement retaliatory tariffs against China if the Chinese government declines to negotiate a resolution regarding the US government’s national security concerns over TikTok. “I’m not saying I would, but it’s certainly an option,” he stated.
