The video-sharing app faces a January deadline to find a new owner not based in China or lose access to U.S. users, according to a law passed in April with bipartisan support.
Kellyanne Conwaywho ran Trump’s first presidential campaign, served in the White House and remains close to him, explained: ”Appreciate the breadth and reach of TikTokwhich he masterfully used along with podcasts and new media to win.”
”There are many ways to hold China accountable besides alienating 180 million American users every month. Trump recognized from the beginning that Democrats are the party of prohibitions and that we must let them take over that draconian space and contrary to personal choice,” he added, according to Washington Post.
In any case, Trump has not yet announced any type of decision on whether he will proceed or not, but some advisers expect him to intervene on TikTok’s behalf if necessaryincluding Conway and three other people. The president-elect promised during the campaign to protect the application: “I’m going to save TikTok”he said in one of his first videos about the app in June.
Prohibition in the United States
The deadline established by law for ByteDancethe China-based owner of TikTok, divests is the January 19the day before Trump’s inauguration. But the company has challenged the ban as unconstitutional, and even if TikTok doesn’t win, litigation could postpone issue until Trump’s second termwhich would give him more room for maneuver.
In addition, ByteDance recognized months ago that a Trump victory was its best chance to retain control of TikTok.
The law, called Protecting Americans from Controlled Applications by Foreign Adversaries Actgives the president the power to extend the divestment deadline by 90 days if the government sees that they have been achieved ”significant progress” towards a sale. If the deadline comes after Trump takes office and he wants to stop the ban outright, Trump could pressure Congress to repeal the law or encourage his attorney general to refrain from enforcing it, according to Alan Rosenshteinformer national security advisor at the Department of Justice.
If Trump tries to stop the ban, it would mark a significant policy shift for an incoming president who has spared virtually no opportunity to attack China. Toward the end of his first term, Trump presided over a federal investigation into ByteDance that also sought to orchestrate the sale of the popular social network.
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
