President-elect Donald J. Trump on Sunday issued an executive order to block the federal government's ban on TikTok, just hours after major app stores removed the popular social media site and stopped operating it for U.S. users. announced that it would be published.
“We're asking companies not to leave TikTok in the dark,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the time period until the law's ban goes into effect so we can reach a deal to keep our country safe.”
The ban stems from a 2024 law that requires app stores and cloud computing providers to stop distributing or hosting TikTok unless its Chinese parent company ByteDance sells it. Lawmakers passed the law over concerns that the Chinese government could use the app, which has an estimated 170 million users in the United States, to gather information on Americans and spread propaganda.
App stores and cloud computing providers that fail to comply with the law could face significant fines. “I confirm that the companies that helped stop the TikTok blackout prior to my order are not liable,” Trump said in a post Sunday.
The executive order marks a new phase in the battle over the future of the app that has reshaped the social media landscape and popular culture and created a livelihood for the millions of influencers and small businesses that rely on the platform.
When issuing executive orders, Trump will likely question the rule of law in the United States. His action is an attempt to temporarily invalidate the law, which passed Congress with broad bipartisan support and was unanimously upheld by the Supreme Court last week.
It is unclear whether Mr. Trump's efforts will be successful. His executive orders could face legal challenges, including whether he has the authority to halt enforcement of federal laws. Businesses subject to this law may decide that this order does not provide sufficient assurance that violations will not be punished.
The law allows the president to grant a 90-day extension if a buyer is found, but only if there are “significant developments” in a deal that would put TikTok in the hands of a non-Chinese company. Additionally, the president must be able to complete the agreement within 90 days before triggering an extension. And given that the law is already in effect, it is unclear whether an option for its extension still exists.
In a post on Sunday, Trump did not provide details, but floated the idea that he would like the United States to have a 50% stake in the joint venture.
TikTok has said a sale is impossible due to the global nature of its business, and China has already indicated it will block exports of its vital video recommendation technology.
Late Saturday, TikTok posted a message to users saying the site was unavailable, but said it was “fortunate that President Trump has committed to working with us on a solution.” On Sunday, some users saw the language change when they opened the app.
“TikTok is temporarily unavailable,” the message said. “We are working hard to resolve this issue. Thank you for your patience.”
TikTok and several Democratic lawmakers have launched last-ditch efforts to keep the app online in recent days. Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, told President Biden privately that allowing the watch app to go dark would undermine his legacy.
Critics of TikTok have launched their own push to get a potential ban off the ground. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas and chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has called some major tech companies in recent days to warn them they need to comply with the law, according to three people familiar with the calls. He claimed that there was.
In a joint statement Sunday, Cotton and Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska) praised Amazon, Apple, Google and Microsoft for complying with the law, noting that violations could lead to bankruptcy.
“Now that this law has entered into force, there is no legal basis for any kind of 'extension' of the effective date,” they added. Sales are the only thing keeping TikTok afloat.
Maggie Haberman and Karen Weise contributed reporting.
