President-elect Donald Trump seems to suggest that TikTok will be left to continue its operations in the United States, for now. Speaking at the AmericaFest, an event hosted by Turning Point, in Phoenix, Arizona, he praised the short video-making app for giving his presidential campaign much leverage.
He said that contents related to his campaign fetched billions of views, with which he credits the achievement to TikTok.
Trump Sends Signal On Ban
Trump’s comments mark one of his clearest indications against a potential TikTok ban in the US. The US Senate had earlier in the year passed legislation with a vote of overwhelming support, demanding that ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, divest the app on concerns over national security. The issue remains unresolved since ByteDance has challenged the legislation in court.
The US Supreme Court has agreed to review the case, and if it rules against ByteDance without a divestiture, TikTok could face a de facto ban by January 19—just one day before Trump is set to take office.
To the conservative audience, Trump noted, “They brought me a chart, and it was a record, and it was so beautiful to see. As I looked at it, I said, ‘Maybe we gotta keep this sucker around for a little while.'” This statement seemed to be hinting at reconsideration over the future of TikTok in the US.
Trump Meets CEO Of TikTok
On Monday, Trump reportedly had met TikTok’s CEO; Trump even complimented and thanked them, stating admiration for this platform. The leader appreciated it as being of particular importance for outreach work, as well as helping win his campaign.
While Mr. Trump was appreciative and was willing to relax current threats, the United States’ Justice Department still saw some threats, especially because ByteDance company seems a little suspect by US-based lawmakers.
TikTok, however, denies such allegations, citing that user data and its recommendation algorithm are stored on US-based Oracle servers. In addition, the company asserts that all content moderation decisions are made domestically, negating fears of Chinese government influence.
While Trump’s comments suggest he may allow TikTok to remain operational, the app’s future in the US still hinges on legal and political developments. A Supreme Court ruling, legislative decisions, and Trump’s approach to ByteDance’s ownership of TikTok will determine whether the platform faces restrictions or continues its dominance in the American social media landscape.
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