TikTok Return Draws Scrutiny of Trump’s Stance
- Trump promised to give TikTok more time for sales process
- Extension requires showing ‘significant progress’ for a deal
TikTok started restoring service in the US on Sunday.
Photographer: Kent Nishimura/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
TikTok restored US services after Donald Trump pledged to delay enforcement of a ban. Yet it’s not clear whether the app’s Chinese parent is able — or willing — to secure a US backer in time to avoid a permanent shutdown.
Most immediate is the question of whether such an extension would be legal after the ban kicked in Sunday. The President-elect over the weekend declared he will “not let TikTok stay dark,” promising to sign an executive order granting another 90 days for TikTok to find a US backer and defuse national security concerns. He proposed a joint venture under which American owners would purchase 50% of the company.