Trump to 'most likely' give TikTok 90-day reprieve from ban

President-elect Donald Trump, who is set to assume office on Jan 20 has said that he will give TikTok a 90-day extension, effective Jan 19, a day before his swearing-in as the 47th US president.

Trump told NBC News that an announcement regarding the ban would probably be made once he took charge.

"The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done because it's 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.

His statement comes after the global social media platform warned it would go dark on Jan 19 until outgoing President Joe Biden gave assurances that the ban will not be imposed.

The Supreme Court on Jan 17 upheld a law banning the app in the US unless its China-based parent company, ByteDance, sells the platform by 19 January. ByteDance has refused to seek a buyer.

"Well, I have the right as you know, I'm the one who is going to be calling the shots," Trump was quoted as saying by ABC.

"Most likely, I'll extend for 90 days - you have the extension for 90 days as you probably know. I'll do that until we figure something out,” he said in a similar statement.

TikTok said late on Jan 17 that the White House and the Department of Justice could not provide the necessary clarity and assurance to the service providers that are imperative in maintaining TikTok's availability.

However, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre dismissed TikTok's warning, saying it was a "stunt".
"We see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take actions in the next few days before the Trump administration takes office on Monday," she said.

“We have laid out our position clearly and straightforwardly: actions to implement this law will fall to the next administration. So TikTok and other companies should take up any concerns with them.”

Meanwhile, users began their farewell to TikTok in the US. Many who logged into the app as late as on Jan 18 received a message that said the law would “force us to make our services temporarily unavailable. We're working to restore our service in the US as soon as possible”.

As uncertainty looms over the app's future, the users — mostly young Americans — have shifted to alternatives including China-based RedNote.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew plans to attend the US presidential inauguration and a rally with Trump on Jan 19, signaling a possible comeback for the app under Trump, a source told Reuters.