As the clock ticks down on the impending TikTok ban in the United States, president-elect Donald Trump is reportedly weighing his options to delay enforcement of the controversial law once he assumes office on January 20th. The Washington Post revealed that Trump and his team are exploring an executive order that would postpone the sale-or-ban deadline for the immensely popular short video app by 60 to 90 days.
The move would grant a reprieve to TikTok’s Chinese owner ByteDance, which is currently racing against the January 19th cutoff to divest its US operations or face a nationwide ban. Under the terms of the law passed by Congress, failure to secure a buyer would result in TikTok being removed from US app stores and barred from onboarding new users.
However, the legal grounds for Trump’s potential executive action remain murky, as it would essentially suspend enforcement of legislation duly enacted by the legislative branch. The Supreme Court is also set to rule on the constitutionality of the TikTok ban, although early indications from a hearing last week suggest the nation’s highest court is unlikely to block the law’s implementation.
Trump’s “Warm Spot” for TikTok
Despite the looming ban, Trump has expressed a surprising affinity for the Gen Z-dominated platform. “I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok,” the president-elect admitted last month, even as he implored the Supreme Court to hit pause on the ban to afford him time to pursue a “political resolution” once in the White House.
Trump’s national security adviser appointee, Mike Waltz, echoed those sentiments in a Fox News interview on Wednesday. “TikTok itself is a fantastic platform,” Waltz acknowledged. “We’re going to find a way to preserve it but protect people’s data.” The incoming administration’s apparent willingness to shield TikTok from the ban, at least temporarily, represents a stark reversal from the hardline stance championed by the Trump campaign during the presidential race.
Regulatory Roulette
As TikTok’s fate hangs in the balance, the company finds itself navigating a labyrinthine regulatory landscape fraught with uncertainty. The app’s chief executive, Shou Zi Chew, has reportedly secured a coveted invitation to Trump’s inauguration ceremony, where he will enjoy a “position of honor” according to The New York Times. The symbolic gesture could foreshadow a more conciliatory approach from the incoming administration.
Meanwhile, an anonymous Biden administration official confided to NBC News that the government has been exploring avenues to keep TikTok operational beyond the January 19th deadline, effectively punting the final decision to Trump. “Americans shouldn’t expect to see TikTok suddenly banned on Sunday,” the official cautioned.
Doomsday Scenario
Even as Trump mulls throwing TikTok a lifeline, the app is bracing for the worst-case scenario. The Information reported that TikTok is preparing to completely shut off access for all US users on Sunday unless the Supreme Court intervenes with a last-minute stay. The nuclear option would ensure compliance with the law while averting the piecemeal removal of the app from various stores, a process that could drag on for months.
For the 170 million Americans who have flocked to TikTok’s infinitely scrollable buffet of viral memes and one-touch dance videos, the prospect of an imminent blackout is causing palpable anxiety. Many creators have already begun migrating their audiences to alternative platforms like YouTube and Instagram Reels, even as they hold out hope for a Trump-brokered compromise in the eleventh hour.
The China Syndrome
At the heart of the TikTok imbroglio lies deep-seated suspicion over the app’s Chinese provenance and the perceived risk of American user data falling into the hands of the Chinese government. ByteDance has consistently denied any improper data sharing with Beijing, but the company’s assurances have done little to assuage the concerns of US lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
The TikTok ban is just one facet of a broader tech cold war between the US and China, as both superpowers jostle for dominance over the strategic high ground of the digital economy. From 5G networks to artificial intelligence, the flashpoints are multiplying at a dizzying pace, with TikTok emerging as an unlikely battleground in the escalating conflict.
Uncharted Territory
As the TikTok saga enters its final act, the plot twists are coming fast and furious. Trump’s flirtation with a ban delay via executive fiat would be an unprecedented maneuver, one that could have far-reaching implications for the separation of powers and the rule of law. The president-elect’s gambit may also be a shrewd negotiating tactic to extract concessions from ByteDance and align the stars for a politically palatable solution.
Ultimately, the fate of TikTok will hinge on a delicate balancing act between safeguarding national security interests and preserving an online platform beloved by millions of Americans. As the clock runs out on the Trump administration, the stage is set for a dramatic denouement that could reshape the contours of the digital landscape for years to come. For TikTok and its legion of lip-syncing, body-rolling disciples, the stakes could not be higher.
