US President-elect Donald Trump has announced that he will “most likely” grant TikTok a 90-day reprieve from a ban set to take effect on Sunday.
Speaking to NBC News, Trump said a formal announcement on the matter would likely be made on Monday, after his inauguration.
The social media platform had previously warned that it would “go dark” on Sunday unless it was assured by the outgoing Biden administration that the ban would not be enforced.
The Supreme Court, in a decision on Friday, upheld legislation requiring TikTok's parent company, China-based ByteDance, to divest from the app by Jan. 19 to avoid the ban. ByteDance, however, has declined to seek a buyer.
“The 90-day extension is something that will probably be done because it is appropriate. You know, it's appropriate. We have to look at it carefully. “It’s a very big situation,” Trump said in a phone interview with NBC News.
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He reiterated a similar stance during a conversation with ABC News, saying: “Well, as you know, I have the right to be the one who makes the decisions. He will most likely extend it for 90 days; you have the extension for 90 days, as you probably know. “I’ll do it until we figure out something.”
TikTok, in a statement Friday, accused the White House and the Department of Justice of failing to provide “the necessary clarity and assurance to service providers who are critical to keeping TikTok available.”
However, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre dismissed TikTok's claims as “a stunt.” She stated on Saturday: “We see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take action in the coming days before the Trump administration takes office on Monday.
“We have stated our position clearly and directly: the actions to implement this law will fall to the next administration. Therefore, TikTok and other companies should address any concerns with them.”
Trump also revealed on Friday that he had discussed TikTok during a recent conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Meanwhile, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to attend Trump's inauguration on Monday, along with other tech executives.
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