President-elect Donald Trump announced on Sunday his intention to issue an executive order on Monday that would grant TikTok’s Chinese parent company additional time to sell its U.S. operations. The promise comes as millions of TikTok users in the United States found the popular video-sharing app suddenly inaccessible over the weekend.
Under federal law, the app faced a permanent ban if ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, failed to sell its U.S. operation to an approved buyer by Sunday. The restriction prompted Google and Apple to remove TikTok from their app stores, leaving users unable to download or access the platform.
“I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account. “I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security. The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order.”
The existing law allows the president to grant a 90-day extension if a viable sale is in progress. ByteDance had previously stated it would not sell its U.S. operations, although several investors reportedly made offers. In his post, Trump proposed creating a joint venture in which the U.S. would hold a 50% ownership stake.
“I would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture,” Trump said. “By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands, and allow it to stay up. Without U.S. approval, there is no TikTok. With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars—maybe trillions.”
TikTok officially went offline for U.S. users late Saturday night after the Supreme Court upheld the ban. Those opening the app encountered a message explaining that the platform was no longer available due to legal restrictions, while also noting Trump’s stated willingness to find a solution once he takes office.
Before the ban, TikTok claimed more than 170 million users in the United States. Though the Biden administration initially indicated it would not enforce the ban on Sunday, TikTok officials said they were unsure of the consequences if the app remained operational without a sale or explicit legal reprieve.
