On the eve of his inauguration, President-elect Donald Trump addressed supporters at the Make America Great Again (MAGA) Victory Rally at Capital One Arena, reaffirming his commitment to safeguarding American jobs and businesses. Trump announced his conditional approval of TikTok’s restoration in the United States, proposing that the U.S. hold a 50% ownership stake in the Chinese-owned short-form video app.
“We need to save TikTok because we have to save a lot of jobs. We don’t want to give our business to China,” Trump declared to an enthusiastic crowd. “I agreed to approve TikTok on the condition that the USA will own 50% of TikTok.”
Earlier, TikTok expressed gratitude to Trump for “providing the necessary clarity and assurance” and confirmed that it was in the process of restoring service after complying with a ban enforced under the Biden administration. The app had gone offline in the U.S. on Saturday night following a Supreme Court ruling that upheld legislation requiring TikTok to either divest to a U.S.-based company or cease operations.
During his rally, Trump credited what he called the “Trump Effect” for driving progress even before officially taking office. “Before even taking office, you are seeing results no one expected to see. Everyone is calling it the ‘Trump Effect.’ It’s you. You are the effect,” he told attendees.
He also outlined his vision for a stronger America, pledging to restore “patriotism to our schools,” eliminate “radical left and woke ideologies” from the military and government, and dismantle the “failed, corrupt political establishment.”
“We are going to make our country greater than ever before,” Trump proclaimed. “The curtain closes on four long years of American decline, and we begin a brand-new day of American strength, prosperity, dignity, and pride.”
Earlier on Sunday, Trump announced on Truth Social that he plans to issue an executive order on Monday, delaying the enforcement of the TikTok ban for 90 days to allow time for negotiations.
“I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark! I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect so that we can make a deal to protect our national security,” Trump said.
He added that the order would shield companies from liability for hosting TikTok during the negotiation period, ensuring Americans could access the app for events such as Monday’s inauguration ceremonies.
Trump further outlined a proposal for a joint venture involving TikTok, in which the U.S. government would hold a 50% ownership stake. “By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands, and allow it to stay up. Without U.S. approval, there is no TikTok. With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions—maybe trillions,” he asserted.
The Supreme Court ruling, which upheld a bipartisan law passed in April, requires U.S.-based companies to either sever ties with TikTok or facilitate its sale to an American or allied company. The temporary restoration of TikTok offers a reprieve for the platform’s 170 million American users and millions of small businesses that rely on the app.
As Trump prepares to take the oath of office as the 47th President of the United States, he promised to usher in a new chapter of prosperity and pride. “We are going to take back our country tomorrow at noon,” he said, promising a brighter future under his leadership.
