President Joe Biden Declines to Enforce TikTok Ban, Leaves Decision to Donald Trump

U.S. President Joe Biden will not implement a ban on the social media platform TikTok before leaving office.

The ban, originally set to take effect on January 19, just one day before Biden vacates the Oval Office, will now fall under the purview of his Republican successor, Donald Trump, who won the November election and will assume office for his second term on Monday.

A law signed by Biden last year required ByteDance, TikTok’s China-based parent company, to divest from the platform due to national security concerns, with the alternative being a ban in one of its key markets.

An official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the Biden administration has opted to defer the decision, leaving the matter to Trump’s incoming administration.

“Our position on this has been clear: TikTok should continue to operate under American ownership. Given the timing of when it goes into effect over a holiday weekend a day before the inauguration, it will be up to the next administration to implement,” a White House official told ABC News in a statement.

TikTok, which boasts over 170 million monthly users in the United States, is reportedly preparing to shut down its app on Sunday.

President-elect Donald Trump, who has consistently voiced his intention to “save” the platform, is reportedly contemplating executive action that could postpone the enforcement of the sell-or-ban law for up to 90 days.

“We will put measures in place to keep TikTok from going dark,” incoming White House national security adviser Mike Waltz told Fox News on Thursday, noting that the new law allows for an extension preventing it from taking effect “as long as a viable deal is on the table.” 

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court agreed to expedite a case filed by TikTok contesting the sell-or-ban law.

In arguments presented last week, attorneys for the social media giant argued that the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act infringes on TikTok’s First Amendment rights to free speech.