Fri Jan 17 02:59:11 UTC 2025: ## Biden Administration Leaves TikTok’s Fate to Incoming Trump Administration

**Washington, D.C. – January 17, 2025** – The Biden administration will not enforce a ban on the popular social media app, TikTok, before leaving office on Monday, leaving the decision in the hands of President-elect Donald Trump. A federal law, signed last year by President Biden, mandates that TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, divest from the company by January 19th. However, a senior administration official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the outgoing administration will defer enforcement to the incoming Trump administration.

This decision comes despite a Supreme Court hearing last week on a legal challenge to the law, where justices appeared inclined to uphold it. The law requires ByteDance to divest or face a ban in the U.S.

Trump, who previously advocated for a ban, has since reversed his stance, pledging to keep TikTok operational in the U.S. His incoming national security advisor, Mike Waltz, indicated that the law allows for an extension if a viable deal is reached. This sentiment has garnered bipartisan support, with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer advocating for a deadline extension to allow for the acquisition of TikTok by an American buyer. However, Republican Senator Tom Cotton blocked a Senate attempt to extend the deadline, calling TikTok a “Chinese Communist spy app.”

Interestingly, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to receive a prominent seat at Trump’s inauguration, alongside other tech CEOs. This suggests a potential path towards a negotiated solution to avoid a ban. President-elect Trump’s team has utilized TikTok extensively during his campaign, and his reversal on the ban is largely attributed to its effectiveness in reaching younger voters. His incoming Attorney General nominee, Pam Bondi, sidestepped a question about upholding a ban during a Senate hearing. The incoming administration plans to facilitate a deal to keep TikTok operating while addressing national security concerns.

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