President Trump Signs Executive Order to Delay TikTok Ban for 75 More Days

On Monday, US President Donald Trump signed an executive action delaying the enforcement of the TikTok ban for 75 days.

The directive instructs the US Justice Department to hold off on enforcing the Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which was passed with widespread bipartisan support in Congress and signed into law by former President Joe Biden in April.

The law stipulated that starting January 19, TikTok would be banned in the United States unless the company sold to a buyer from the US or one of its allied countries.

“The unfortunate timing of section 2(a) of the Act — one day before I took office as the 47th President of the United States — interferes with my ability to assess the national security and foreign policy implications of the Act’s prohibitions before they take effect,” Trump’s executive action said.

“This timing also interferes with my ability to negotiate a resolution to avoid an abrupt shutdown of the TikTok platform while addressing national security concerns.”

The action says the 75-day delay will help the Trump administration attempt to “determine the appropriate course forward in an orderly way that protects national security while avoiding an abrupt shutdown of a communications platform used by millions of Americans.”

On Monday, January 20, Trump told reporters that he changed his mind about TikTok because he “got to use it.”

“And remember, TikTok is largely about kids, young kids,” Trump said in the Oval Office when asked what changed his mind.

“If China is going to get information about young kids out of it, to be honest, I think we have bigger problems than that.”

Trump also told reporters that the action he signed regarding TikTok gave him the right to either “sell it or close it.”

“I have the right to either sell it or close it, and we’ll make that determination,” Trump added.

However, the ultimate fate of TikTok in America remains uncertain. It is unclear whether TikTok’s China-based owner, ByteDance, would be willing to sell the app, even if the deal were brokered by Trump.

TikTok restored access for American users on Sunday afternoon, crediting Trump for facilitating the return of the app.

“I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect so that we can make a deal to protect our national security,” Trump said in a Truth Social post on Sunday, January 19.

Trump also stated that he would not hold TikTok’s technology partners, including Apple, Google, and cloud computing company Oracle, liable for continuing to make the app available until he signed the order.

“We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok,” TikTok said in a statement Sunday.

“We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.”