January 20th 2025.
During his first term as president, Donald Trump took action to ban TikTok, a popular video-sharing site that he believed posed a threat to national security. However, as he prepares to return to the White House for a second term, he is now being praised as the app's savior. After temporarily going dark, Trump announced on his social media that he would issue an executive order to delay the ban and negotiate a deal to protect national security.
Trump's legal authority to unilaterally decide not to enforce the law, which had bipartisan support and was upheld by the Supreme Court, is unclear. But the rapid developments over the weekend highlighted the changing landscape of technology, social media, and national security since Trump was last in office. It also showed how closely Trump is following these shifts, as he successfully utilized social media to connect with voters during his campaign.
Now, Trump can take credit for saving an app with 170 million users, particularly popular among younger Americans. This move also benefits Trump politically, as he can claim to have successfully revived a beloved app and be rewarded by both users and the company. The app's return comes as tech companies and CEOs have been working to improve their standing with Trump, with some even donating to his inaugural fund.
TikTok's CEO, Shou Chew, had met with Trump in December at Mar-a-Lago, and in a video response to the Supreme Court decision, he praised the president and emphasized the app's dependence on him. The app had initially posted a simple message informing users of the ban, but later updated the language to include Trump. However, the Biden administration had made it clear that they did not intend to enforce the ban before Trump took office.
Trump, in an interview with NBC News, said he was considering granting TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, a 90-day extension to sell. However, experts believe there is no evidence that ByteDance has made progress towards divestiture, and an executive order cannot legally override a law passed by Congress. Senator Tom Cotton also warned that there is no legal basis for the extension Trump is pursuing.
During a rally on Sunday, Trump announced that TikTok was back and that he had no choice but to save it. Although he had initially sought to ban the app, he later changed his stance during his 2024 campaign, believing that a ban would benefit Facebook, a rival app. Trump has since joined TikTok and credited it for helping him win over young voters.
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