Trump Issues an Executive Order to Suspend the US TikTok Ban

Trump Issues an Executive Order to Suspend the US TikTok Ban
Photo: Wired / Getty Images 21.01.2025 187

Trump's order could give ByteDance more time to find a buyer for TikTok's U.S. assets.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday to keep TikTok operating for 75 days, a relief to the social media platform’s users even as national security questions persist.

TikTok’s China-based parent ByteDance was supposed to find a U.S. buyer or be banned on Jan. 19. Trump’s order could give ByteDance more time to find a buyer.

“I guess I have a warm spot for TikTok,”

Trump said.

Shou Zi Chew, TikTok’s CEO, attended Trump’s inauguration earlier in the day, seated with American tech heavyweights.

Trump has amassed nearly 15 million followers on TikTok since he joined last year, and he has credited the trendsetting platform with helping him gain traction among young voters. Yet its 170 million U.S. users could not access TikTok for more than 12 hours between Saturday night and Sunday morning.

The platform went offline before the ban approved by Congress and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court took effect Sunday. After Trump promised he would pause the ban Monday, TikTok restored access for existing users. Google and Apple, however, still have not reinstated TikTok to their app stores.

Business leaders, lawmakers, legal scholars, and influencers who make money on TikTok are watching to see how Trump tries to resolve a thicket of regulatory, legal, financial and geopolitical issues with his signature.

The law, which went into force Sunday, allows for fines of up to $5,000 per U.S. TikTok user against major mobile app stores — like the ones operated by Apple and Google — and internet hosting services like Oracle if they continued to distribute TikTok to U.S. users beyond the deadline for ByteDance’s divestment.

Trump on Sunday said he had asked TikTok’s U.S. service providers to continue supporting the platform and app while he prepared to sign an executive order to stop the ban for now.

“The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order,” 

Trump posted on Truth Social, his social networking site.

On Monday, China signaled a possible easing of its stance on TikTok, allowing ByteDance to sell assets related to the platform. Meanwhile, Trump stated that he is considering a deal to acquire 50% control of TikTok, adding that many wealthy individuals have approached him with offers to buy the platform.

Source: AP News

digital markets  China  US 

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