United States President-elect Donald Trump is planning to delay the looming TikTok ban, offering a window for negotiations with potential American buyers to secure the app’s future in the next 2 to 3 months.
Washington Post cited sources familiar with the issue revealing that an executive order under consideration could temporarily allow TikTok’s 170 million U.S. users to continue accessing the platform.
While Trump had previously supported a ban on the app during his presidency, his recent statements, including a TikTok video in which he voiced a desire to “save TikTok,” indicated a shift in his stance.
Just last month, Trump requested the Supreme Court to delay the ban, signalling his willingness to find a solution that keeps the app operational in the U.S.
TikTok and its parent company ByteDance face a critical Sunday deadline to sell the app to an American buyer or risk a complete U.S. ban.
Reports indicated that potential buyers, including Elon Musk and other prominent figures have expressed interest.
A $20 billion bid by Kevin O’Leary and Frank McCourt has garnered attention, though it excluded TikTok’s algorithm, raising questions about its viability.
With the Supreme Court expected to rule on the legality of the ban soon, Trump’s potential executive order could become a crucial lifeline for the app.
Meanwhile, pressure mounts on President Joe Biden to act preemptively.
Bipartisan lawmakers have urged Biden to utilise the Protecting Americans’ Data from Foreign Adversaries Act, which allows for a 90-day extension if significant progress on a sale can be demonstrated.
ByteDance’s refusal to sell complicated such an extension, as no binding agreements currently exist.