Image credit: The Byteline

As part of his sweeping changes on Day 1 of coming into office, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order granting a 75-day extension to the enforcement of a ban on TikTok, giving the wildly popular short-video app a temporary lifeline.

But there’s a twist—the reprieve comes with a suggestion that the U.S. government should claim a 50% stake in TikTok’s U.S. operations as part of any deal to keep the app running.

The order comes as a relief for TikTok’s 170 million American users, who spent the weekend anxiously watching the app’s uncertain fate unfold.

On Saturday, TikTok briefly went offline ahead of a looming deadline that required its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell its U.S. operations or face a ban over national security concerns.

By Sunday, Trump announced he had a plan to “save TikTok,” reassuring users and business partners that the app would remain operational—for now.

TikTok restored its services shortly after, but it remains unavailable for download on Apple and Google app stores, keeping its long-term status in the U.S. up in the air.

The executive order, signed just hours after Trump’s second-term inauguration, calls for a pause on enforcing the divestiture law, giving his administration time to chart a new course.

READ MORE: TikTok shuts down in the US, awaits Trump intervention

Yet, the legality of this move is murky. The law in question, passed by a bipartisan Congress, was upheld by the Supreme Court and does not explicitly grant the president the authority to extend deadlines unless ByteDance has binding agreements to sell TikTok. It remains unclear if such agreements exist.

Representative Frank Pallone criticized Trump’s actions, accusing him of “circumventing national security legislation” and raising questions about whether the extension is a viable solution or just a delay tactic.

Trump’s ambitions for TikTok go beyond simply keeping the app alive. While signing the order, he floated the idea of the U.S. government owning half of TikTok’s U.S. business, suggesting that such an arrangement could “police the site” and ensure its value is retained domestically.

“If we create that value, why aren’t we entitled to like half?” Trump mused, estimating that TikTok could be worth hundreds of billions of dollars.

This latest development marks a sharp reversal from Trump’s initial stance on TikTok during his first term. In 2020, he unsuccessfully attempted to ban the app outright, citing concerns that ByteDance was sharing Americans’ personal data with the Chinese government.

However, since then, Trump has expressed a newfound appreciation for TikTok, even crediting the platform with helping him connect with young voters during his 2024 campaign.

The debate over TikTok’s future unfolds against the backdrop of increasingly tense U.S.-China relations. Trump has indicated a willingness to impose tariffs on China while also expressing interest in fostering direct communication with Beijing.

For its part, China has signaled a willingness to discuss options that would keep TikTok operating in the U.S., with the foreign ministry stating on Monday that companies should “decide independently” on their operations and deals.

TikTok’s next steps are anything but clear. While Trump’s executive order directs the Justice Department to reassure companies like Apple, Google, and Oracle that they won’t face legal consequences for supporting TikTok, it’s uncertain whether this will be enough to restore the app to app stores in the U.S.

The stakes are high, not just for TikTok and its users but for the broader tech industry. A U.S. government demand for equity in a major private company would set a precedent unlike anything seen before.

Meanwhile, questions about ByteDance’s potential continued involvement in TikTok and unresolved national security concerns loom large.

As the deadline ticks closer, one thing is certain: the saga of TikTok in America is far from over. While the app has won a temporary reprieve, the political and legal drama surrounding it continues to capture attention—much like the viral videos that made it a sensation in the first place.

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