WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday that gives TikTok a 75-day extension to remain active in the United States and not enforce the law meant to force the app’s owner, ByteDance to sell.
“I hereby order the Attorney General not to take any action on behalf of the United States to enforce the Act for 75 days from the date of this order, to permit my Administration an opportunity to determine the appropriate course of action with respect to TikTok,” the White House said in the order. “During this period, the Department of Justice shall take no action to enforce the Act or impose any penalties against any entity for any noncompliance with the Act, including for distributing, maintaining, or updating (or enabling the distribution, maintenance, or updating) of any foreign adversary controlled application as defined in the Act.”
Last year, Congress required that TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, sell the app to an American company by January 19, a day before Trump’s inauguration. The official said the outgoing Biden administration was leaving the decision to implement the law — and the potential enforcement of the ban — to Trump.
Here’s how the law works: TikTok is not required to go dark on January 19. The app stores along with the internet hosting services could be fined if they keep providing their services to TikTok. The law gives the Justice Department the power to pursue fines of up to $5,000 per user, a massive liability due to the app’s popularity with younger Americans.
TikTok said Sunday that it would be restoring service to U.S. users after going dark for just 12 hours overnight.
“In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service,” TikTok said in a post on X. “We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive.”
