Trump Signals Possible 90-Day Reprieve for TikTok to Avert U.S. Ban

• When Congress passed a bill in April 2024 ordering ByteDance to either sell TikTok or face a ban, many speculated that ByteDance would opt to sell, because the American market was too valuable to relinquish freely. But TikTok actually faced an even bigger exodus of users in 2020, when India banned the app.At the time, India was TikTok’s biggest foreign market outside of China, with 200 million users. (For comparison, the U.S. currently has over 170 million TikTok users.) Following military clashes along the disputed border between India and China, the Indian government banned TikTok along with over 50 other Chinese apps, citing national security concerns.

HEATED UP: What’s Awaiting TikTok in the US

TikTok is a social media platform that has swept up millions of users in the US, and because it is based in China, the ownership puts it under tremendous scrutiny. Now, with the looming deadline to force its parent firm ByteDance to divest its US operations-or face a ban-the social network is getting nervous, and so are the creators who use it.

However, in a Saturday phone interview with NBC’s Kristen Welker, President-elect Donald Trump described the possibility of an extension for 90 more days. The comments, just days into his takeover, bring some kind of hope to the app’s loyal user base.

Trump on TikTok: A Slight Glimmer of Hope

Asked about the likelihood of a ban, Trump told reporters, “I think that would be certainly an option that we look at. The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it’s appropriate. You know, it’s appropriate. We have to look at it carefully. It’s a big situation.”

These words come at a time when there are heightened tensions related to data security and privacy concerns because of the nature of ownership surrounding TikTok.

The Great Debate: National Security vs. User Freedom

Why TikTok’s Under Fire

TikTok has come under scrutiny due to concerns its China-based parent, ByteDance, might share American users’ data with the Chinese government. To critics, it’s a national security risk, though TikTok describes itself as independent and secure.

Users React to Ambiguity

For millions of Americans, TikTok is so much more than an app-it’s a source of creativity, connection, and even livelihood. Perhaps more than anyone else, creators are speaking out because their livelihoods hang in the balance over a ban.

What’s at Stake?

Economic Impact

But it also has huge economic consequences outside the app. Companies who advertise on the site and social media influencers who make money from brand deals say they’re bracing for possible devastation if the ban goes into effect.

Political Consequences

But politically, this is a highly charged decision. It is tough to balance national security against the freedom for millions of users, and that’s something the incoming administration has to figure out.

What Might Be Next?

The 90-day extension allows ByteDance extra time to seek an agreement with a non-Chinese buyer for sale-the door-opener that will give way to an agreement to mollify U.S. security concerns and users’ desires for the platform to continue uninterrupted.

While if no deal is reached by then-that is, after an extension period-the ban would still be possible, that would have meant saying goodbye to millions of users for the application.

The Greater Ambit: Trust and Technology

The saga over TikTok has served as a reminder of growing concerns about technology, privacy, and international relations. As the U.S. sorts through such thorny issues, the decisions being made could determine how future debates about foreign-owned technology companies unfold.

Wait-and-See for TikTok Users

For the time being, TikTok’s fate in the U.S. remains up in the air. The 90-day reprieve issued by President-elect Trump is a lifeline of sorts, but the clock is ticking. As users and businesses hold their collective breath, it remains to be seen just how this high-stakes story plays out.