US President-elect Donald Trump spoke to his Chinese counterpart on Friday — ahead of his impending return to the White House. The interaction came even as the US Supreme Court upheld a law banning TikTok in the country.
“The call was a very good one for both China and the USA. It is my expectation that we will solve many problems together, and starting immediately. We discussed balancing trade, Fentanyl, TikTok, and many other subjects,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Meanwhile Chinese President Xi Jinping voiced hope for a “good start” to ties with Trump as the Republican leader returns to power after a four year hiatus.
The US Supreme Court upheld a law that will ban TikTok in the United States on Friday — paving the way for a potential ban in two days. The popular video-sharing app is slated to lose approximately 170 million users unless its Chinese parent company sells the platform. The US Congress had passed a law to this effect in 2024 amid growing national security concerns.
Trump however insisted on Friday that the ultimate decision rested with him as the incoming POTUS. He had previously pledged to ‘save’ TikTok in election campaign speeches and debated ways to stall the ban.
“It ultimately goes up to me…so you're going to see what I'm going to do. Congress has given me the decision. So I'll be making the decision,” he told CNN on Friday without giving any details.
It is also pertinent to note that TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to attend the upcoming inauguration ceremony for Donald Trump. According to a New York Times report, he has been invited to sit in a position of honor on the dais — a space typically reserved for former presidents, family members and other important guests.
The outgoing Joe Biden administration appeared to agree with this assessment — noting that it was up to Trump to decide on enforcement of the ban.
“Given the sheer fact of timing, this Administration recognizes that actions to implement the law simply must fall to the next Administration,” read a statement from Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre after the Supreme Court verdict.
Incoming national security advisor Mike Waltz also claimed on Thursday that the Trump administration would put measures in place “to keep TikTok from going dark”.
"The legislation allows for an extension as long as a viable deal is on the table. Essentially that buys president Trump time to keep TikTok going. It's been a great platform for him and his campaign to get his America first message out. But at the same time, he wants to protect data," he said.
(With inputs from agencies)
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