President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday to delay the enforcement of a TikTok ban by 75 days, hours after his swearing in ceremony and a day after a federal ban took effect.
His order directs his attorney general to not levy fines against app stores and service providers that continue helping TikTok stay up. Experts and some Republican lawmakers have said the measures could be legally dubious.
Trump will also order his administration to “issue a letter to each provider stating that there has been no violation of the statute and that there is no liability for any conduct that occurred.”
Earlier in the day, TikTok CEO Shou Chew attended Trump’s inauguration, seated next to Tulsi Gabbard, who is nominated to serve as director of national intelligence. The company also sponsored a Washington party to celebrate the inauguration.
The executive order capped off a tumultuous weekend. The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the sell-or-ban law. Then TikTok preemptively shut down Saturday, despite not being required to under the ban. It restored service to U.S. customers a day later after Trump promised he’d pass a executive order to save it. More here