Trump says will 'most likely' give TikTok 90-day extension to avoid ban after he takes office

US President-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday (Jan 18) that he will "most likely" give TikTok a 90-day reprieve from a potential ban in the US after he takes office on Monday (Jan 20).

Trump, in an interview with NBC News "Meet the Press" moderator Kristen Welker, said that he hadn't made a final decision but was considering a 90-day extension of the deadline given to the China-based social media company.

“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. You know, it’s appropriate. We have to look at it carefully. It’s a very big situation,” Trump said in a phone interview.

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'To be announced on Monday'

“If I decide to do that, I’ll probably announce it on Monday,” he said.

However, an extension may not be enough to prevent the app from going dark for at least a day because the current deadline for compliance is Sunday.

TikTok on Friday announced plans to "go dark" in America on Sunday (Jan 19) unless the Biden administration "provides a definitive statement" that the law forcing its sale won't be enforced.

"Unless the Biden Administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers assuring non-enforcement, unfortunately, TikTok will be forced to go dark on January 19," TikTok said.

Earlier on Friday, the US Supreme Court upheld a law requiring TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, to divest its US operations or face a complete ban in the country.

The top court, in its ruling, found that the law banning TikTok was not in violation of free speech rights.

Meanwhile, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called TikTok’s plans to go dark “a stunt” in a statement issued on Saturday morning.

“We have seen the most recent statement from TikTok. It is a stunt, and we see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take actions in the next few days before the Trump Administration takes office on Monday,” she said.

“We have laid out our position clearly and straightforwardly: actions to implement this law will fall to the next administration. So TikTok and other companies should take up any concerns with them,” she said.

(With inputs from agencies)