In a surprising move, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday aimed at delaying the enforcement of a ban on the popular short-video app TikTok by 75 days. This decision comes just hours after Trump was inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States.
The executive order seeks to provide the Trump administration with additional time to evaluate the future of TikTok in the U.S. During the signing ceremony, President Trump proposed that the U.S. government should take a 50% ownership stake in TikTok's U.S. operations to maintain the app's presence in the market. He also hinted at the possibility of imposing tariffs on China if negotiations did not lead to a favorable outcome for the United States.
China's Foreign Ministry responded swiftly to the announcement, emphasizing that companies should autonomously decide on their operational strategies and business deals without external pressure. Despite the high-stakes discussions, ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, has yet to release an official statement regarding the executive order or the ongoing negotiations.
Adding to the intrigue, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew attended President Trump's inauguration, seating among other prominent tech leaders. While Chew's presence signals TikTok's commitment to engaging with the new administration, there have been no confirmed reports of direct talks between him and President Trump about the app's future during the event.
Timeline in \"Tick-Tock\"
The situation escalated over the past week when TikTok, used by approximately 170 million Americans, was temporarily taken offline for users. This action preceded the enforcement of a new law mandating that ByteDance either sell TikTok's U.S. operations on national security grounds or face a ban starting January 19.
The following day, President Trump announced his intention to \"save TikTok,\" leading to the swift restoration of the app's services in the United States. However, TikTok remains unavailable for download from major app stores like Apple and Google.
Trump's executive order aligns with his earlier promises and instructs the Attorney General not to enforce the new law. This delay is intended to give his team time to devise an appropriate strategy regarding TikTok's future in the U.S.
However, questions remain about the legality of Trump's order. The law enforcing the divestiture was passed by significant majorities in Congress, signed by President Joe Biden, and unanimously upheld by the Supreme Court. Additionally, the law does not grant Trump the authority to extend the deadline unless ByteDance has entered into binding agreements to sell TikTok, the existence of which has not been confirmed.
The executive order also directs the Justice Department to inform companies such as Apple, Google's parent company Alphabet, and Oracle that there have been no violations of the statute and that there is no liability for any conduct during the specified period.
As of now, it remains uncertain whether Trump's order will persuade Apple and Google to reinstate TikTok in the U.S. app stores, leaving the future of the app in a state of flux.
Reference(s):
What could follow after Trump signs TikTok order delaying ban?
cgtn.com
