TikTok CEO Shou Chew reportedly intends to attend Donald Trump’s inauguration as the firm and the president-elect’s advisors explore strategies to postpone or prevent a ban on the widely-used video application, according to sources knowledgeable about the situation.
Chew is anticipated to be present among the president-elect’s distinguished guests at Trump’s inaugural address on Monday, according to sources.
Other technology executives scheduled to attend include billionaire Trump advisor Elon Musk, Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon.com Executive Chairman Jeff Bezos, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, according to several sources—an impressive demonstration of the industry’s acceptance of the new president.
Representative Mike Waltz (R., Fla.), designated by Trump to head the National Security Council, stated in a Fox News interview on Wednesday that Trump is considering a deal to preserve TikTok if the Supreme Court affirms the legislation mandating a sale or prohibition of the application.
Trump’s aides are contemplating an executive order for him to sign on his first day in office, which would propose a 60 to 90-day postponement of the law’s enforcement, according to many sources.
The prohibition is scheduled to commence one day prior to the transfer of authority from President Biden to Trump.
A Biden White House official stated that the law’s terms are unequivocal, and the White House does not perceive any statutory power to postpone implementation.
However, since the law will be enacted on the Sunday of a holiday weekend, it remains uncertain whether measures to prohibit the app will be implemented immediately, potentially allowing Trump an opportunity to respond upon assuming office on Monday.
China has objected to a U.S. legislation that would prohibit TikTok in the United States unless its Beijing-based parent company, ByteDance, relinquishes control of the operation.
Last Monday, the Supreme Court appeared predisposed to uphold the law. It will take effect on Sunday unless the court grants a delay.
Trump has expressed a desire to facilitate TikTok’s continued presence in the United States.
TikTok asserts that the U.S. statute, enacted by Congress and ratified by President Biden last year, infringes upon First Amendment rights to free speech, whilst the U.S. government contends that the measure is warranted by national security concerns.
Chinese officials have internally deliberated options, including the potential for a reliable non-Chinese entity, such as Elon Musk, to invest in or assume control of TikTok’s U.S. operations, as reported by the Journal, citing sources familiar with the negotiations.
Trump endorsed TikTok during the 2016 presidential campaign, perceiving it as an essential means to garner support from young voters.
However, he attempted to obstruct the application throughout his initial tenure.
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