President Donald Trump wasted no time after taking office, signing several executive orders, including one that paused the enforcement of a law banning TikTok in the United States. The executive order temporarily halted the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act for 75 days, giving TikTok more time to negotiate a deal.
Trump cited the “unfortunate timing” of the law, which was enacted during President Joe Biden’s final hours in office, as a reason for delaying its implementation. He explained that the pause was necessary to assess the law’s implications for national security and foreign policy.
Trump pledged to review sensitive intelligence on the national security concerns surrounding TikTok, which critics argue poses risks due to its Chinese ownership. He also stated that he would evaluate whether TikTok’s mitigation measures, including its Project Texas initiative to store U.S. user data on Oracle-hosted servers, were sufficient.
This project had been part of TikTok’s efforts to address security concerns through years of negotiations with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), although talks stalled last year.
TikTok briefly went offline before the law was set to take effect but was quickly restored after Trump announced plans to sign an executive order suspending the ban. This suspension allowed companies supporting TikTok to avoid liability for helping prevent service disruptions. Additionally, Trump proposed a joint venture that would give U.S. interests a 50 percent stake in TikTok, signaling a potential compromise to address security and ownership concerns.
China responded with cautious optimism, expressing a willingness to negotiate with the U.S. over TikTok’s future. Chinese officials emphasized that any agreements involving Chinese companies must comply with China’s laws and market principles. This stance marked a shift from earlier opposition to forced sales of TikTok’s U.S. operations, suggesting that a long-term resolution might be possible under mutually agreeable terms.
During Trump’s first administration, he attempted to ban TikTok and force a sale of its U.S. operations, though these efforts did not succeed. Under the Biden Administration, pressure on TikTok intensified, culminating in a law last year requiring ByteDance to divest its U.S. business or face a ban. Trump’s recent actions indicate a continued focus on addressing the app’s security concerns while exploring compromises to avoid outright bans.