Washington, Jan 21: US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday extending the operations of TikTok, the Chinese-owned short-video sharing platform, for an additional 75 days. This extension provides the administration with more time to pursue a resolution that safeguards national security while allowing the platform to remain accessible to the 170 million Americans who use it.
The executive order states, “I am instructing the attorney general not to take any action to enforce the Act for a period of 75 days from today to allow my Administration an opportunity to determine the appropriate course forward in an orderly way that protects national security while avoiding an abrupt shutdown of a communications platform used by millions of Americans.”
The extension comes after a bill signed into law by President Joe Biden in April 2024 gave TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, 270 days to divest from the app or face a ban from US app stores. The deadline for divestment was January 19, but TikTok’s operations were restored after Trump intervened, promising to extend the deadline.
Trump’s order also directs the Department of Justice to refrain from enforcing the Act or imposing penalties for noncompliance during the 75-day period. “This period will allow for an assessment of the national security risks posed by TikTok while preserving the platform’s operations in the US,” the order reads.
In the order, Trump emphasized his constitutional responsibility to safeguard national security and stated he would consult with advisors and relevant agencies to resolve the concerns over TikTok while protecting the interests of American users. He further noted that the timing of the Act’s provisions, which coincided with his presidential inauguration, hindered his ability to properly assess the national security implications before the deadline expired.
The extended deadline offers an opportunity for the administration to review TikTok’s mitigation measures and address the security issues raised.
