Trump promised to save TikTok, could this be a lifeline for the platform?

TikTok might be getting a lifeline from former President Donald Trump, who once sought to ban the app. As the popular social media platform braces for a potential ban in mid-January, Trump, now President-elect, has pledged to oppose any efforts to block TikTok, a move he repeated frequently throughout his recent campaign.

The app and its parent company, ByteDance, have spent months battling a federal law that requires them to either divest TikTok’s US operations or stop offering the service in the United States.

The law, enacted by President Joe Biden in April, grants ByteDance nine months to cut ties, with a potential three-month extension if a divestiture deal is in progress. If ByteDance fails to meet the deadline, TikTok could be removed from US app stores on 19 January, just a day before Trump’s inauguration.

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Both sides are awaiting a ruling from a federal appeals court by 6 December, and any unfavorable outcome is likely to be appealed to the Supreme Court, which could further prolong the legal battle. Despite TikTok’s denials that it poses a national security threat, concerns persist about its ties to China, given that ByteDance is based in Beijing.

US officials fear the company could be compelled to share user data with the Chinese government.

Trump’s support for TikTok appears at odds with his prior stance. During a CNBC interview in March, he maintained that the app presents a security risk but argued against a ban, claiming it would benefit competitors like Facebook, which he has criticised since his 2020 election loss.

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While some suggest the change in position might be influenced by ByteDance investor Jeff Yass, Trump has denied any direct link.

ByteDance has been actively lobbying to protect TikTok. The company hired former Trump campaign adviser David Urban for $150,000 to lobby lawmakers and spent millions more on in-house and external lobbyists.

Kellyanne Conway, another former Trump aide, has also been engaged by the Yass-backed conservative group Club for Growth to advocate for TikTok. However, Conway and Urban have not commented on their roles, and TikTok has declined to provide any statement.

Even if the law is upheld, Trump’s Justice Department would need to enforce it. This would mean pressuring app stores to remove TikTok and internet providers to stop supporting it, though legal experts note the attorney general could decide how rigorously to pursue these measures. Trump could also issue an executive order to override the ban or push Congress to repeal the law, though this would require cooperation from Republicans, many of whom remain wary of TikTok’s ties to China.

Rep. John Moolenaar, chairman of the House Select Committee on China, stated that Trump’s long-standing concerns about TikTok align with the law, suggesting there may be room for negotiations. Analysts, however, believe a forced sale of TikTok is unlikely to include the proprietary algorithm that powers its content, making any deal complicated.

Trump may revisit the issue with fresh intelligence once in office, potentially leading to a shift in his stance. Experts like Harvard’s Leah Plunkett advise TikTok to prepare a divestiture plan to minimise risks, given the uncertainty surrounding Trump’s administration and its future actions. For now, TikTok’s fate remains in legal limbo, with the former president unexpectedly playing a pivotal role in its potential survival.