Donald Trump has indicated he will “most likely” extend TikTok’s deadline by 90 days to avoid an imminent US ban.
In a telephone interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker on Saturday, the president-elect suggested he would grant the reprieve after his inauguration on Monday, though he emphasised a final decision had not been made.
“The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it’s appropriate. We have to look at it carefully. It’s a very big situation,” Trump told Welker, adding that any announcement would likely come on Monday.
The development comes as TikTok faces a Sunday deadline to secure a sale to a non-Chinese buyer or face a nationwide prohibition under legislation signed by outgoing President Joe Biden last April.
The White House has dismissed TikTok’s announcement to “go dark” on Sunday as “a stunt”. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said there was no reason for companies to take action before the Trump administration assumes office.
The bipartisan law permits a one-time 90-day extension if the president certifies to Congress that specific conditions are met, including evidence of significant progress towards divestiture and relevant binding legal agreements.
The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the legislation requiring ByteDance, TikTok’s Beijing-based parent company, to sell its US operations or face a ban, rejecting the app’s free speech arguments in an unsigned opinion.
TikTok CEO Shou Chew is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration ceremony. The platform said it would cease US operations unless it receives “clarity and assurance” about potential legal consequences, including implications for third-party service providers.
Trump’s newfound support for TikTok contrasts sharply with his first term, when he attempted to ban both TikTok and WeChat through executive orders, though these efforts were blocked by courts. His change in position followed a meeting with one of the app’s American investors last year.
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