President-elect Donald J. Trump said on Sunday that he would issue an executive order to stall a federal ban of TikTok, just hours after major app stores removed the popular social media site and it stopped operating for U.S. users.
“I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark,” Mr. Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security.”
The ban stems from a 2024 law that requires app stores and cloud computing providers to stop distributing or hosting TikTok unless it is sold by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. Lawmakers passed the law over concerns that the Chinese government could use the app, which claims roughly 170 million United States users, to gather information about Americans or spread propaganda.
App stores and cloud computing providers that do not comply with the law can face significant financial penalties. Mr. Trump said in his post on Sunday that he would “confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order.” Mr. Trump did not provide additional details about the planned order.
It is unclear whether Mr. Trump’s efforts will be successful. His executive order could face a legal challenge, and companies subject to the law may determine that it does not provide enough assurance that they will not be punished for violating a law that passed overwhelmingly in Congress.
This story is breaking and will be updated.
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