US President-Elect Donald Trump has expressed support for the Chinese-owned video-sharing platform TikTok, despite the looming threat of a ban. On Sunday, he posted on his own platform, “Truth Social” saying, “I urge the companies not to let TikTok go dark.”
Trump stated that he will issue an executive order to extend the time before the ban takes effect, allowing for a deal to be reached to protect national security. The order will also ensure that no companies are held liable for preserving TikTok before its shutdown, he added.
The president-elect also used the opportunity to promote his upcoming inauguration and other events, saying, “The American people deserve to see our exciting inauguration on Monday, as well as other events and conversations.”
Trump proposed a 50% stake in a joint venture with TikTok, stating, “We will save TikTok, keep it in good hands, and allow it to develop. Without the US, there is no TikTok. With our approval, it’s worth hundreds of billions of dollars – maybe even trillions.”
The US Congress, on the initiative of the Biden administration, passed a law requiring TikTok to either be sold or shut down in the US. The platform, controlled by China, is used by 170 million Americans. The deadline for TikTok’s fate expired on Sunday, with Trump’s inauguration set for Monday. The Supreme Court had rejected TikTok’s appeal on Friday.