US President-elect Donald Trump's incoming national security adviser signals a potential reprieve for TikTok, vowing to keep the popular Chinese-owned video app operational in the United States. Representative Mike Waltz indicates that the new administration will explore a deal that could allow TikTok to continue operating, citing a provision in the law allowing for a 90-day extension if 'significant progress' is made towards a divestiture. This move comes amidst ongoing legal battles and bipartisan concerns surrounding TikTok's data security and potential ties to the Chinese government. The article delves into the potential ramifications of this decision, exploring the political landscape, the legal challenges, and the implications for both TikTok and the United States.
A 3D-printed miniature model of US President-elect Donald Trump and the TikTok logo are seen in this illustration taken January 15, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration WASHINGTON: US President-elect Donald Trump 's incoming national security adviser said on Thursday the new administration will keep TikTok alive in the United States if there is a viable deal, in a potential reprieve for the popular Chinese-owned video app.
'We will put measures in place to keep TikTok from going dark,' US Representative Mike Waltz told Fox News, pointing to a provision in the law allowing for a 90-day extension if there is 'significant progress' toward a divestiture. 'Essentially that buys President Trump time to keep TikTok going,' said Waltz, who was picked by Trump to be his national security adviser. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor on Thursday that TikTok, which China's ByteDance owns, should be given more time to find a buyer. “It's clear that more time is needed to find an American buyer and not disrupt the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans,” Schumer said, adding that Senate Democrats tried to pass a bill to extend the deadline to come up with a solution. 'I will work with the Trump administration and with both parties to keep TikTok alive while protecting our national security.' The New York Times reported on Thursday that Trump is considering an executive order that would seek to allow TikTok to continue operating despite a pending legal ban until new owners are found. It was not immediately clear if Trump has the authority to do so given the legal divestiture requirements imposed by Congress. A group of US lawmakers is also pushing for a 270-day extension as well, warning that a ban could hurt Americans who make a living from using TikTok.A spokesperson for the Trump transition, Karoline Leavitt, said, 'President Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to save TikTok, and there's no better deal maker than Donald Trump.', when a federal ban is set to take effect, barring a last-minute reprieve, according to people familiar with the matter. A White House official told Reuters on Wednesday that President Joe Biden has no plans to intervene to block a ban in his final days in office if themandates a ban on new TikTok downloads on Apple or Google app stores if ByteDance fails to divest the site. Users who have downloaded TikTok would theoretically still be able to use the app, but the law also bars US companies from providing services to enable the distribution, maintenance, or updating of it once any ban begins. The president can issue a one-time, 90-day delay to the ban if he certifies to Congress there has been evidence of significant progress and there are binding legal agreements in place to allow a complete divestiture in three months. Separately, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew plans to attend the US presidential inauguration on Jan 20 and sit among high-profile guests invited by Trump, a source told Reuters. Representative Frank Pallone, the top Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee, criticized the decision to invite Chew on social media platform X. 'Trump talks a big game on China & wanted to ban TikTok - just like many Republicans voted to do,' Pallone said. 'But now he’s inviting TikTok's CEO to sit beside him at his inauguration even though TikTok is linked to the CCP & is a threat to our national security. What message does this send?' The US Supreme Court is currently deciding whether to uphold the law and allow TikTok to be banned on Sunday, overturn the law, or pause the law to give the court more time to make a decision. Privately held ByteDance is about 60 per cent owned by institutional investors such as BlackRock and General Atlantic, while its founders and employees own 20 per cent each. It has more than 7,000 employees in the United States.
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