Agencies
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to provide a 75-day pause on enforcing a law that would effectively ban TikTok in the U.S., as he floated an idea of partnering with the app’s Chinese owner and linked it to potential China tariffs.
The executive order delayed the implementation of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which took effect on Jan. 19 and would prohibit the distribution and updating of TikTok in the U.S.
Trump had promised to move fast to save TikTok from the law that was passed overwhelmingly by Congress and signed by former President Joe Biden last year.
Speaking to reporters from the White House, Trump said he was seeking a 50-50 partnership between "the U.S.” and its Chinese owner ByteDance, though he did not provide details on how this could be achieved.
"I guess I have a warm spot for TikTok that I didn’t have originally,” the newly inaugurated Trump said as he signed the order, crediting the app for delivering him the youth vote in his election.