Trump Plans to Save TikTok from Ban, Adviser Says
Donald Trump, the incoming U.S. president, is expected to stop TikTok from being banned in the United States, according to his national security adviser, Mike Waltz.
This ban could take effect this weekend if no action is taken. Congressman Waltz told BBC News that Trump would act if the Supreme Court allows a law that bans TikTok unless its Chinese owner, ByteDance, sells it by January 19.
The current president, Joe Biden, is also exploring ways to keep TikTok available, reports NBC News. ByteDance has said it will shut the app down for its 170 million U.S. users on Sunday if no solution is found.
BBC notes that ByteDance and TikTok strongly deny any connection to the Chinese government, which is the main concern behind the ban.
Congress passed a law last year that required ByteDance to find an American buyer for TikTok within nine months or face a ban. The law doesn’t directly forbid using TikTok, but it would make Apple and Google stop offering the app, which could kill it over time, according to BBC analysts.
Mike Waltz explained that the law gives a 90-day extension if significant progress is made toward selling TikTok. “This gives Trump extra time to protect TikTok,” he said on Thursday. Trump is also reportedly considering an executive order to delay the ban, although it’s unclear if this would bypass the law passed by Congress.
BBC reports that both Biden and Trump have shifted their opinions on TikTok. While Trump initially tried to ban the app during his first term, he now says he wants to protect it.
Biden signed the law that could lead to a ban last year but is also looking for ways to keep TikTok from disappearing.
The Supreme Court recently heard ByteDance’s arguments against the ban, and a decision is expected soon.
Meanwhile, BBC highlights that TikTok’s future remains uncertain, with both political and legal efforts underway to determine whether it will continue operating in the U.S.
Credit : BBC
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly57kxkmrxo