(Nexstar) – Seven weeks have passed since Donald Trump took over the presidency. This is the role he promised to “save Tiktok” (among many other campaign promises). At least according to his original extension deadline, there was no time to find a way to keep the app.
Last year, Congress passed a bill banning apps unless Chinese parent company Baitedan is sold. However, when Trump took office, he signed an executive order that pushed back the enforcement deadline by the 75th.
The new deadline is April 5th.
However, even if time is ticked, Tiktok's future remains as unclear as ever. The Supreme Court upheld the original law. That is, I still have essentially the same options as I did two months ago. A ban on new owners or apps on Tiktok will stop app updates and ultimately lead to App Ontivolescence.
Who can buy Tiktok?
When he returned to Washington from his Florida home this week, Trump told reporters that the deal could come soon but he did not provide details about the buyers he was interested in. He said the administration is in consultation with “four different groups” regarding Tiktok.
Potential bidders have come up in recent months, including AI, AI for artificial intelligence startups and several consortiums of high-tech moguls. One such group started by billionaire businessmen, Frank McCourt has recruited Reddit co-founders Alexis Ohanian. They reportedly provided $2 billion in cash to Tiktok's US platform. Another consortium includes Employer.com founder Jesse Tinsley, YouTuber Mrbeast and Roblox CEO David Baszucki Apparently they were topped with that offer Another $10 billion.
Trump said in January Microsoft also paid attention to popular apps.. Other stakeholders include Trump's former Treasury Secretary Steve Munucin and Rumble, as well as video sites popular with several conservatives and far-right groups.
It remains unclear whether bytedance even intends to sell the app and its highly coveted algorithms. The company previously said it didn't want to sell it.
A Tiktok spokesman declined to comment to the Associated Press on Tuesday.
What happens if no one buys Tiktok on time?
If nothing else had been gathered in time, Trump also said he would “probably” extend the enforcement deadline again.
Prohibition can also be enabled. If that happens, the app won't disappear from your phone suddenly and using it is not a problem with the law. New users are unable to download the app and updates are not available in the app store. Internet hosting services are also prohibited from hosting Tiktok.
During his first term, Trump tried to ban Tiktok on national security reasons. His administration was suspended by the court before negotiating a sale of the platform that ultimately did not come to fruition. He changes his position in the popular apps last year in the presidential election, and believes the platform helped him gain more young voters.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
