President-elect Trump to grant TikTok 90-day extension to avoid ban, NBC reports

President-elect Donald Trump has indicated he will “most likely” approve a 90-day extension for TikTok, delaying a potential ban in the United States. The popular Chinese-owned app is scheduled for removal as early as 12:01 a.m. Sunday but could temporarily go dark for at least a day before Trump finalizes the extension on Monday.

The report comes just a day after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the law banning TikTok amid ongoing scrutiny of the app’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance. The company has been ordered to sell its U.S. operations by January 19, 2025, to comply with a Supreme Court ruling. If the divestiture doesn’t occur, TikTok faces a complete ban.

The Biden administration has opted not to enforce the ruling during its tenure, effectively passing the responsibility to the incoming Trump administration.

Trump Says He Will ‘Most Likely’ Give TikTok Extension to Avoid Ban

During an exclusive interview with NBC’s Kristen Welker, Trump signaled his openness to an extension, describing the move as “appropriate.”

“I think that would be, certainly, an option that we look at. The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it’s appropriate,” Trump said during a phone interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker.

TikTok’s potential removal from the U.S. app marketplace has raised significant questions about its future. Trump’s 90-day extension would provide additional time for ByteDance to secure a non-Chinese buyer and potentially preserve TikTok’s U.S. operations.

TikTok’s future has been uncertain this week following a unanimous decision by the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday to uphold legislation mandating a nationwide ban unless its Beijing-based parent company, ByteDance, completes a sale to a U.S.-approved buyer.