Washington: President Donald Trump signed an executive action Monday, delaying enforcement of the TikTok ban by 75 days.
TikTok Ban Enforcement Postponed
Trump’s executive action prevents enforcement of the Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act for 75 days. This Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden in April, mandated TikTok’s ban unless sold to a US or allied buyer by January 19.
The law gave the president wide authority to enforce the ban. Trump’s decision delays implementing the prohibition to assess national security and foreign policy concerns linked to the platform.
Trump Explains His Executive Action
In the executive order, Trump cited the timing of the law’s enforcement as an issue. He emphasized needing more time to evaluate TikTok’s security risks.
“The timing of the Act interferes with my ability to examine national security implications,” the order stated. “This delay ensures an orderly approach to address national security concerns while avoiding TikTok’s abrupt shutdown.”
TikTok Resumes Services
TikTok temporarily shut down for 14 hours over the weekend, returning online Sunday afternoon after Trump’s promise. The platform, widely used by millions of Americans, remains operational during the 75-day delay.
Speaking Monday, Trump said his decision was influenced by his recent use of TikTok. “TikTok is largely for kids,” Trump remarked. “If China is getting information about kids, we have bigger problems than TikTok.”
The Future of TikTok in the US
Despite the delay, TikTok’s long-term presence in the United States remains uncertain. Trump mentioned potential resolutions, including selling the platform or shutting it down entirely.
“I retain the right to either sell it or close it,” Trump told reporters from the Oval Office. “We’ll decide soon.”
Questions Over ByteDance’s Next Steps
TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, headquartered in China, may be hesitant to sell, even if brokered by Trump. Whether ByteDance would accept a sale or find another resolution is unclear.
The postponement buys time for negotiations and further analysis of TikTok’s national security risks. However, the ultimate outcome remains uncertain.
