Donald Trump is reportedly taking action to save the well-known video app TikTok from an impending nationwide ban. One of his close advisors claims that Trump is actively considering several options to prevent this scenario.
Finding a method to “preserve” TikTok is a topic of discussion, as verified by Mike Waltz, who is expected to serve as Trump’s national security adviser. Following a rumour that suggested Trump might issue an executive order to prevent a federal ban that was set to go into force just before he took office, this announcement was made.
“We’re on a path to finding a balance where we can maintain TikTok but also ensure the safeguarding of people’s data,” Waltz said in an interview with Fox News. Despite the lack of clarity around these executive orders, Waltz promised that a framework is being developed to make a deal easier.
According to sources who spoke to The Washington Post, Trump plans to use an executive order to delay the implementation of this ban, possibly delaying it for 60 to 90 days. This action may open the door to discussing other options, such as selling the app.
A judicial challenge to the regulation, which requires ByteDance, the parent firm of TikTok in China, to either divest on national security grounds or risk a ban in a major market like the US, is currently being considered by the Supreme Court.
Remarkably, Trump’s position has changed during his first term, when he attempted to outlaw the app due to security concerns. He is now calling to “save” TikTok during his 2024 campaign, citing its popularity among younger people.
Further debates have been triggered after Trump’s candidate for attorney general, Pam Bondi, avoided answering whether she would enforce a ban during a Senate hearing. Furthermore, according to NBC reports, the Biden administration may be looking into ways to provide continuity for TikTok users, at least temporarily, and may even postpone the ultimate decision until beyond Trump’s term.
It appears that Americans won’t be witnessing a dramatic disappearance of TikTok anytime soon, as one government official noted.