TikTok CEO attending Trump inauguration amid ban uncertainty

TikTok CEO to attend Trump’s inauguration amid potential TikTok ban delay discussions and tech leaders’ attendance.

TikTok CEO Shou Chew is set to attend President-elect Trump’s inauguration on Monday.

He will join other notable tech leaders, including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai, Tim Cook, Sam Altman, and Mark Zuckerberg.

This gathering highlights the tech sector’s support for the incoming president and Trump’s changing stance on TikTok, which he previously aimed to ban during his first term.

Current developments indicate uncertainty regarding the proposed TikTok ban, with the inauguration coinciding with a looming deadline.

A bipartisan law enacted last year mandates TikTok’s ban in the U.S. unless its parent company, ByteDance, divests operations by Sunday, the day before Trump takes office.

Trump’s advisers are exploring options to extend this deadline by 60 to 90 days.

Representative Mike Waltz, designated to lead the National Security Council, noted efforts to prevent TikTok from being suspended.

Trump has shown a strong interest in preserving TikTok, with transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt describing him as an effective dealmaker.

Legal scholars have indicated that the TikTok ban does not permit Trump to delay it via an executive order.

However, President Biden could extend the divestiture deadline if substantial progress toward a sale is made.

Post-deadline, Trump could remove the ban if he determines TikTok is no longer under Chinese control or provide assurances to tech companies about compliance with the law.