WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump approaches, discussions surrounding the future of TikTok are heating up. Trump, who has been vocal in his support of the popular video app, is reportedly planning to sign an executive order to “save” TikTok shortly after he is sworn in on Monday. This follows a temporary shutdown of the app over the weekend, triggered by the implementation of a law banning the app due to national security concerns.
In a victory rally on Sunday, Trump celebrated TikTok’s brief return to U.S. users, applauding the platform’s restoration after a 14-hour shutdown. The app’s temporary suspension came as a law, upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court last Friday, went into effect. The law mandates that TikTok, which is owned by China-based ByteDance, be sold by the company, citing fears that the Chinese government could use the app as a tool for espionage and data collection.
Despite these national security concerns, Trump has expressed his intention to delay the consequences of the ban. Advisers to the incoming president have discussed the possibility of Trump signing an executive order to extend the deadline for ByteDance to divest TikTok. The signing would take place at a highly symbolic moment: just after Trump’s swearing-in ceremony, in front of key lawmakers and TikTok CEO Shou Chew, who is expected to attend the inaugural festivities.
The plan to take such a public stance on TikTok during the inauguration has raised eyebrows among some Republican lawmakers, particularly those who have been pushing for a nationwide ban of the app. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, a staunch advocate for the law, expressed doubts about ByteDance’s commitment to divesting the app. “We don’t have any confidence in ByteDance,” Johnson said on NBC’s Meet the Press Sunday. “The law is very precise, and the only way to extend that is if there is an actual deal in the works.”
Although Trump’s allies, including billionaire businessman Elon Musk and investor Kevin O’Leary, have discussed potential takeovers of TikTok, Johnson and other Republicans remain skeptical of any deal that does not involve approval from the Chinese government. The ongoing debate over the app has stirred tensions within the GOP, as many prominent Republicans, such as Senate Intelligence Chair Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), view TikTok as a direct threat to U.S. security. They argue that the app could be exploited by the Chinese Communist Party to collect sensitive data from American users, including children.
Despite the opposition, Trump has vowed to intervene and prevent the app from being sold, declaring his commitment to protecting it in a social media post. “We will save TikTok,” he wrote, promising to take swift action once he assumes office.
The situation surrounding TikTok has highlighted the growing divide between Trump’s administration and key members of Congress over issues of national security, technology, and foreign influence. The ongoing pressure on ByteDance to sell the app could face new challenges in the coming days, as Trump’s executive order could potentially alter the course of the law’s enforcement.
As Trump prepares to take office, the fate of TikTok remains uncertain, and the tension between protecting U.S. security and supporting a popular app continues to be a hotly debated topic in Washington. With TikTok’s future hanging in the balance, all eyes will be on the new administration and how it handles the delicate balance of national security and corporate interests in the tech world.
