TikTok may get an unexpected lifeline ahead of looming US ban

Washington, DC - The Biden administration is reportedly looking at ways in which it could keep TikTok from having to completely shut down when a ban comes into effect on Sunday.

The US government is scrambling to find a way to keep TikTok from shutting down, mere days before a ban is set to take effeect.
The US government is scrambling to find a way to keep TikTok from shutting down, mere days before a ban is set to take effeect.  © IMAGO/NurPhoto

Less than a week out from President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration, and mere days before TikTok is expected to be shut down, the Biden administration might defer the enforcement of the ban it has pushed hard for.

The move would allow Trump to deal with the issue in his own way and avoid a total shutdown of the app on Sunday.

"Americans shouldn't expect to see TikTok suddenly banned on Sunday," a source within the administration told NBC News.

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However, a White House official countered by telling NBC: "We are not considering deferring enforcement... Statutorily, we don’t believe we have the authority to do that."

Trump opposed ban on TikTok

Trump now stands opposed to the TikTok ban and has even urged the Supreme Court to pause its deliberations until he is in office.
Trump now stands opposed to the TikTok ban and has even urged the Supreme Court to pause its deliberations until he is in office.  © AFP/Getty Images/POOL

In a briefing last month, Trump urged the Supreme Court to pause in its deliberations on the TikTok ban, and wait until he can "pursue a negotiated resolution."

Despite the request, the Supreme Court is still expected to uphold the law mandating the ban.

Trump has nearly 15 million followers on TikTok and has more recently supported the app's right to operate in the US.

"Frankly, there are a lot of people on TikTok that love it," Trump said in an interview with CNBC in March 2024.

"There are a lot of young kids on TikTok who will go crazy without it. There are a lot of users, a lot of good, and there’s a lot of bad with TikTok."

Cover photo: IMAGO/NurPhoto

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