TikTok may hold out a bit longer: Trump considers postponing veto

President-elect Donald Trump is considering deferring a ban on TikTok, which could give the platform a chance to continue operating in the United States despite the Supreme Court's recent upholding of its veto.

In a recent interview, Trump, who will take office on Monday, mentioned that he is evaluating a 90-day extension to "carefully" analyze the future of TikTok in the country. "I think that would be, certainly, an option that we look at (...) You know, it’s appropriate. We have to look at it carefully. It’s a very big situation," he said.

Although he has not yet made a final decision, Trump assured that, if he opts for the extension, he will announce it on Monday, during his first day in office.

A veto with history and controversy

The TikTok ban was passed last year under Joe Biden's administration, backed by a solid bipartisan majority, due to concerns about the platform's ties to China and its access to large volumes of personal data.

Any delay in implementing the veto would require significant progress on the sale of TikTok to a U.S. company, something its owner, ByteDance, has repeatedly rejected. The company argues that the app is critical to U.S. users and small businesses, though it faces criticism from both Democrats and Republicans.

What would an extension entail?

Should the postponement materialize, it would open a window of negotiation to determine the future of the platform, which has 170 million users in the United States. However, experts warn that the situation will remain uncertain, especially if national security concerns persist.

LightShed Partners analyst Richard Greenfield believes TikTok could continue to operate, albeit with restrictions. On the other hand, Trump, who for years has pointed out the risks of the platform, could use this opportunity to position himself as a key mediator in its permanence, although he faces pressure from Republican figures such as Senators Josh Hawley and Tom Cotton, who demand its immediate elimination.

Impact on users and businesses

Meanwhile, influencers and small businesses that rely on TikTok for revenue face an uncertain future. While some remain hopeful that a solution will be reached, the ratification of the veto has raised concerns in the community.

TikTok has warned that it will cease operations on Sunday if it does not receive explicit assurances from the outgoing Biden administration to protect service providers, such as Apple and Google, who could face penalties for keeping the app available on their platforms.