President Trump Softens His Tone On TikTok
President Trump said earlier today that he will wait until next month to take action against TikTok. According to USA Today, he told reporters, “I set a date of around Sept….
WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 03: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on August 3, 2020 in Washington, DC. With enhanced federal unemployment benefits now expired, Trump administration officials and Democratic Congressional leaders continue to negotiate on an extension of the unemployment benefits and an additional coronavirus economic stabilization and relief package. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
President Trump said earlier today that he will wait until next month to take action against TikTok. According to USA Today, he told reporters, “I set a date of around Sept. 15, at which point it’s going to be out of business,” unless it surrenders Chinese ownership. "But if somebody...buys it, that'll be interesting."
Last week, the President threatened the company, saying, "We're banning them from the United States." But in a blog post that went live over the weekend, Microsoft said it is looking to purchase the company and that they will "move quickly to pursue discussions with TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance," with a final decision expected no later than Sept. 15, and that they are "committed to acquiring TikTok subject to a complete security review and providing proper economic benefits to the United States, including the United States Treasury."
TikTok U.S. General Manager Vanessa Pappas said in a video posted on Twitter that "we're not planning on going anywhere.... TikTok is a home for creators and artists to express themselves, their ideas and connect with people across different backgrounds and we are so proud of all the various communities that call TikTok their home."
