TikTok ban: Trump hints at giving app 90-day extension to avoid ban
Share and Follow


Trump said in an NBC News interview that he had not decided what to do but was considering granting TikTok a reprieve after he is sworn into office on Monday.

WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he “most likely” would give TikTok 90 more days to work out a deal that would allow the popular video-sharing platform to avoid a U.S. ban.

Trump said in an NBC News interview that he had not decided what to do but was considering granting TikTok a reprieve after he is sworn into office on Monday. A law that prohibits mobile app stores and internet hosting services from distributing TikTok to U.S. users takes effect on Sunday.

Under the law passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden last year, TikTok’s China-based parent company had nine months to sell the platform’s U.S. operation to an approved buyer. The law allows the sitting president to grant an extension if a sale is in progress.

“I think that would be, certainly, an option that we look at. The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it’s appropriate. You know, it’s appropriate,” Trump told “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker in a phone interview. “We have to look at it carefully. It’s a very big situation.

“If I decide to do that, I’ll probably announce it on Monday,” he said.

Both White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco made clear Friday that the Biden administration would leave the law’s implementation to Trump given that his inauguration falls the day after the ban takes effect.

In a statement later Friday, TikTok asked for “a definitive statement” saying the Biden administration would not enforce the law or try to fine app store operators like Apple and Google and other U.S. companies if they don’t stop making TikTok available Sunday.

Without those assurances, TikTok said it “will be forced to go dark.” But the company did not provide details, including whether it would voluntarily shut down its U.S. platform at midnight or suspend its operations after losing access to service providers it relies on.

The White House on Saturday called TikTok’s statement “a stunt.”

“We see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take actions in the next few days before the Trump administration takes office on Monday,” Jean-Pierre said. “We have laid out our position clearly and straightforwardly: actions to implement this law will fall to the next administration. So TikTok and other companies should take up any concerns with them.”

Neither Apple, Google or Oracle, which hosts TikTok’s data on its servers, have responded to questions about what they plan to do on Sunday.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Teen underage driver charged with manslaughter in September NYC crash that killed motorcyclist, 30: cops

Underage Driver Faces Manslaughter Charges in Fatal September NYC Motorcycle Crash: Police

This week, authorities have arrested and charged a teenage driver with manslaughter…
Tyler Robinson, the defendant in Charlie Kirk's shooting death, asks judge to disqualify prosecutors

Tyler Robinson Seeks New Legal Direction in Charlie Kirk Shooting Case, Requests Judge to Remove Prosecutors

In Salt Lake City, a complex legal battle is unfolding as 22-year-old…
Scientists pinpoint  type of fat which can control blood pressure

Revolutionary Discovery: The Surprising Type of Fat That Regulates Blood Pressure Naturally

A dearth of ‘beige fat’ in the body may lead to a…
Cat caught on camera starting dangerous kitchen fire after jumping on stove and turning on burner

Surveillance Footage Captures Cat Accidentally Igniting Kitchen Fire by Activating Stove Burner

A feline in Dallas County, Texas, inadvertently sparked a kitchen fire earlier…
Father credits 7-year-old daughter with saving his life after fall in Lynwood home; police, fire chiefs congratulate her

Heroic 7-Year-Old Daughter Saves Father’s Life After Lynwood Home Accident; Commended by Police and Fire Chiefs

A 7-year-old girl from Lynwood, Illinois, is earning praise for her heroic…
Tyler Robinson prosecutors say Charlie Kirk shooting texts show confusion, not bias, to rebut conflict claim

Legal Dilemma: Prosecutor’s Child Witnesses Influential Figure Charlie Kirk’s Assassination – Potential Impact on Case Participation

PROVO, Utah — Defense attorneys representing the Utah electrician accused of murdering…
Key accuser in Alexander brothers rape case dies just one week before federal trial begins: report

Lead Witness in Alexander Brothers’ Federal Trial Passes Away Days Before Court Date: Report

The woman who initially accused Oren and Alon Alexander of rape, a…
Mexican drug cartel leader extradited to the US to face federal drug trafficking charges

Rocky Mountain States See Surge in Fentanyl and Meth Seizures as Mexican Cartels Intensify Trafficking Efforts

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) achieved unprecedented seizure records last year in…