President Donald Trump signed an executive order extending the deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok’s US operations after Monday’s inauguration ceremony, preventing the app from going dark for an additional 75 days. The order instructs the US Attorney General to abstain from enforcing the law that would ban the app and require Apple and Google to remove it from their app stores. Trump suggested that he would “save” the app once in office, giving ByteDance more time to find a buyer. The extension will be done through an executive order allowing his administration to negotiate a deal with ByteDance for a potential 50 percent joint venture agreement with a US entity.
### Trump’s Efforts to Save TikTok
Days before the January 19 deadline, Trump hinted at saving TikTok once in office. In an interview with NBC News, he expressed the need to carefully evaluate the situation and provide ByteDance with more time to find a buyer. Trump confirmed on Truth Social that the extension would be through an executive order, aiming to pursue a joint venture agreement with ByteDance, emphasizing the importance of keeping TikTok operational under US approval.
### TikTok’s Response and Future Prospects
ByteDance and TikTok are yet to publicly respond to Trump’s proposal. At the signing ceremony, Trump expressed optimism about TikTok’s CEO, suggesting that private companies could be involved in financing the negotiation. The rush to keep TikTok online followed a devastating Supreme Court ruling that upheld a law forcing a sale of TikTok to an American owner. Apple and Google briefly removed the app, along with other ByteDance-owned apps, before TikTok was restored after a 15-hour outage.
### Public Resentment and Financial Interest
The divestiture law faced resentment from various quarters, with individuals like Soulja Boy expressing displeasure over the TikTok ban. American financiers, including Frank McCourt and Steven Mnuchin, were considering buying the app, with Musk’s name also mentioned in potential deals. Trump hinted at imposing retaliatory tariffs against China if negotiations with the Chinese government over TikTok’s US operations fall through.