Trump Weighs 90-Day Extension for TikTok Negotiations
President-elect Donald Trump hinted on Saturday that he may grant TikTok an extra 90 days to reach an agreement that could prevent a ban on the popular video-sharing platform in the United States.
In a conversation with NBC News, Trump stated he has yet to make a final decision but is seriously considering a temporary delay in enforcing the ban after his inauguration on Monday. A law prohibiting app stores and internet hosting services from distributing TikTok to American consumers is set to take effect on Sunday.
Last year, Congress passed legislation that was signed by President Joe Biden, giving TikTok’s Chinese parent company a nine-month window to divest its U.S. operations to a government-approved buyer. This law also allows the sitting president to extend the deadline if a sale is actively in progress.
During a phone interview with “Meet the Press” host Kristen Welker, Trump commented, “I think extending the deadline by 90 days is definitely an option we are looking into. It makes sense to take the time to assess the situation; it’s quite important.”
He further mentioned, “If I decide to go ahead with this, I’ll probably announce it on Monday.”
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco noted on Friday that the enforcement of this law would be up to Trump, particularly since he will be inaugurated just a day after the ban is scheduled to go into effect.
In response, TikTok released a statement later on Friday asking for “clear assurances” that the Biden administration would not enforce the law or penalize app store operators like Apple and Google, as well as other U.S. companies, if they continue to provide access to TikTok after Sunday.
Without such assurances, TikTok cautioned that it might “be compelled to go dark,” though they did not specify whether this signified a voluntary shutdown of their U.S. platform or a forced cessation due to losing vital service providers.
The White House responded to TikTok’s statement over the weekend, dismissing it as “a media stunt.”
Jean-Pierre remarked, “We see no reason for TikTok or any other companies to take extreme actions in the coming days before the Trump administration takes office on Monday. Our position is clear: the next administration will handle the enforcement of this law, so TikTok and others should address their concerns to them.”
Currently, Apple, Google, and Oracle, the company responsible for managing TikTok’s data, have not provided any updates regarding their plans for Sunday.
