Tech analyst and ‘The Media Copilot’ founder Pete Pachal joins ‘Mornings with Maria’ to discuss President-elect Trump asking the Supreme Court to halt a ban on TikTok and his administration focusing on A.I. in his second term.
TikTok went dark for users across the U.S. late Saturday as the app notified users of a ban that went into effect just days before President-elect Trump’s inauguration.
Users who tried to utilize the app on Saturday night received the following message: “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now.”
The app gave a shout-out to Trump, saying: “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”
The TikTok app was not available on Apple and Google’s app stores by 10:50 p.m. EST, as the stores are prohibited from offering the app under a bipartisan law signed by President Biden last spring that required TikTok’s China-based parent company, ByteDance, to sell the platform by Sunday or face a U.S. ban. Internet hosting services are also banned from offering the service to American users.
Trump issued a two-word message Sunday morning on Truth Social: “SAVE TIKTOK!”
TikTok informed users on Saturday that it is no longer available due to the ban enacted in the U.S., while stating President-elect Trump is working on a solution. (TikTok / Fox News)
Lawmakers in Congress who backed the law claim the measure is needed to protect national security and block Americans from consuming what they describe as propaganda from foreign adversaries.
Hours earlier, the app notified users that the law banning TikTok would take effect on Sunday.
Leadership noted the ban will “force” the company to make its services “temporarily unavailable.”
A screenshot of an update on the TikTok app, Saturday. (Fox News Digital / Fox News)
“We’re working to restore our service in the U.S. as soon as possible, and we appreciate your support,” the statement read. “Please stay tuned.”
The White House said this week Biden didn’t plan to enforce the ban, that it would be up to Trump, who takes office Monday.
The social media platform said it would “go dark” on Sunday without a “definitive” statement from the Biden administration.
“The statements issued today by both the Biden White House and the Department of Justice have failed to provide the necessary clarity and assurance to the service providers that are integral to maintaining TikTok’s availability to over 170 million Americans,” TikTok said in a statement posted to X.
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The TikTok app logo is shown on an iPhone. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis / AP Newsroom)
But White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre described TikTok’s demand as a “stunt” and said there was no reason for TikTok or other companies “to take actions in the next few days before the Trump administration takes office.”
ByteDance had nine months to sell TikTok to an approved buyer but opted, along with TikTok, to take legal action against the law.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday upheld the law, citing national security risks because of its ties to China, Fox News Digital reported.
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Trump said he needed to “review” the ban before making a decision, and that he would “most likely” give TikTok a 90-day extension from the Jan. 19 deadline after he takes office. If there is an extension, Trump said it would “probably” be announced on Monday.
Trump said he would “most likely” give TikTok a 90-day extension. (Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The law allows the sitting president to extend the deadline by 90 days if a sale is in progress, although ByteDance has previously said it would not sell TikTok.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew thanked Trump in a video on Friday for his “commitment to work with us to find a solution that keeps TikTok available in the United States. This is a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship.”
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During the presidential campaign, Trump said he would “never ban TikTok” after joining the platform, but led the calls for the ban during his first term in office.
Fox News Digital’s Brie Stimson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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