Shortly after Monday’s inauguration, President Donald Trump signed an executive order granting ByteDance an additional 75 days to divest TikTok’s US operations, temporarily averting a nationwide ban on the app.
The order instructs the US Attorney General to refrain from enforcing the law that would remove TikTok from app stores like Apple and Google. TikTok has yet to issue a response to the announcement.
Days before the January 19 deadline, Trump hinted at plans to “save” the app during an NBC News interview with Kristen Welker, though he did not elaborate on the specifics. “We have to look at it carefully. It’s a very big situation,” he remarked.
In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump confirmed his intention to issue an executive order allowing more time for negotiations with ByteDance. He expressed interest in a 50% joint venture agreement with a US entity, stating that such a move would safeguard TikTok’s operations.
“By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands, and allow it to stay up,” Trump wrote. “Without US approval, there is no TikTok. With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions—maybe trillions.”
ByteDance and TikTok have not publicly responded to Trump’s proposal. During Monday’s signing ceremony, Trump suggested TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew would support the plan and mentioned the possibility of private sector financing to facilitate the deal.
The executive order does not explicitly mandate divestiture but emphasizes using the 75-day extension to determine a clear path forward.
The urgency to address TikTok’s future arose after the US Supreme Court upheld a law requiring the sale of TikTok’s US operations to an American company to prevent a nationwide ban. This decision came just two days before the legislation was set to take effect.
Late Saturday night, TikTok users received notifications that the app was no longer accessible to US users. Apple and Google subsequently removed TikTok and other ByteDance-owned apps, including CapCut and Lemon8, from their platforms. TikTok remained unavailable for 15 hours before announcing its return.
“In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service,” the company stated Sunday evening. “We thank President Trump for providing clarity and assurance, allowing TikTok to continue supporting over 170 million Americans and 7 million small businesses.”
The divestiture law has faced bipartisan criticism. Over the weekend, rapper Soulja Boy posted on X about his efforts to lobby against the TikTok ban while in Washington, DC.
Several American investors have reportedly shown interest in acquiring TikTok, including former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. McCourt’s Project Liberty submitted a formal bid following the Supreme Court’s decision, and Elon Musk’s name has also been mentioned in connection with potential negotiations.
On Monday, Trump suggested the possibility of imposing retaliatory tariffs on China if the Chinese government resists addressing US national security concerns regarding TikTok. “I’m not saying I would, but you could certainly do it,” he remarked.
