Donald Trump is exploring ways to prevent a nationwide ban on the popular Chinese-owned video app TikTok, Al Jazeera reports, citing a key advisor.
Mike Waltz, who is expected to serve as Trump’s national security advisor, confirmed that the incoming administration is looking into options to “preserve” the app while also addressing national security concerns.
Waltz’s comments, made in an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, follow a report in The Washington Post indicating that Trump may be considering an executive order to halt the enforcement of the planned ban, which is currently scheduled to take effect on January 19. Trump will officially enter office on January 20, the day after the ban’s planned start date.
The Washington Post report, citing anonymous sources, suggested that Trump is considering a 60- to 90-day suspension of the ban. This move would likely provide the new administration time to negotiate a sale of the app or to implement another alternative solution. The specifics of any potential legal ramifications of such a move remain unclear.
The news comes as the Supreme Court is currently deliberating on a legal challenge to the bipartisan law that mandates ByteDance, TikTok’s China-based parent company, to divest the app or face a ban on new downloads in the US, a major market for the platform. During recent oral arguments, the judges appeared inclined to uphold the law.
Trump, who attempted to ban TikTok during his first term in office over national security concerns, had a change of heart during his 2024 presidential campaign. He publicly pledged to “save” the app, citing its importance in engaging younger voters.
Adding to the uncertainty, Pam Bondi, Trump’s nominee for attorney general, avoided answering a direct question during a Senate hearing about whether she would enforce a TikTok ban.
Meanwhile, a report from NBC suggests that the Biden administration is also exploring options to extend the platform’s availability beyond the scheduled Sunday ban. An administration official told the broadcaster that Americans should not expect to see a sudden ban enacted on Sunday, suggesting the decision may be deferred to the incoming Trump administration.
