The White House has been exploring potential solutions to ensure that TikTok remains available to its 170 million American users in light of an impending ban set to take effect on Sunday. The ban, which was mandated by a law signed by President Joe Biden in April, requires TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell the app to American ownership by January 19 or face being removed from US app stores.
White House officials have indicated that they do not believe President Biden has the authority to delay enforcement of the law. The ban is scheduled to come into effect on the final day of Biden's administration, unless there is an unexpected intervention from the Supreme Court. A White House official mentioned that due to the timing of the ban coinciding with the transition to the next administration, the decision on how to proceed will fall to President-elect Donald Trump's team.
The law does provide Biden with the option to extend the deadline by up to 90 days if significant progress is made in negotiations for the sale of TikTok. However, ByteDance has stated that they have no plans to sell the app, complicating the situation. Some lawmakers, including Democratic Sen. Ed Markey and Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul, have urged Biden to grant ByteDance an extension, citing concerns about the impact of the ban on free expression.
As the deadline approaches, the fate of TikTok in the US remains uncertain, with the White House and lawmakers grappling with the complexities of the situation. The next steps will likely depend on the actions taken by the incoming administration and any potential legal challenges that may arise.
