U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday he would “most likely” give TikTok a 90-day reprieve from a potential ban after he takes office on Monday, as the app with 170 million American users buzzed with nervous anticipation ahead of a shutdown set for Sunday.
“The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done because it’s appropriate,” Trump told NBC. “If I decide to do that, I’ll probably announce it on Monday.”
The Chinese-owned app, which has captivated nearly half of all Americans, powered small businesses, and shaped online culture, said on Friday it will go dark in the U.S. on Sunday unless President Joe Biden’s administration provides assurances to companies such as Apple (AAPL.O), opens a new tab and Google (GOOGL.O), opens a new tab that they will not face enforcement actions when a ban takes effect.
Under a law passed last year and upheld on Friday by a unanimous Supreme Court, the platform has until Sunday to cut ties with its China-based parent ByteDance or shut down its U.S. operation to resolve concerns it poses a threat to national security.
The White House dismissed TikTok’s Friday comment as a stunt, reiterating on Saturday that it was up to the incoming Trump administration to take action, increasing the likelihood of a shutdown on Sunday.
“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,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
It’s not clear if TikTok has met the high legal bar to win a 90-day reprieve from Trump — which requires having binding agreements in place to enable ByteDance to complete a sale of TikTok by mid-April.
TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new White House statement.
The Chinese embassy in Washington on Friday accused the U.S. of using unfair state power to suppress TikTok. “China will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests,” a spokesperson said.
Users on the app were saying their goodbyes, some filming themselves frantically scrolling or sharing final secrets with their followers ahead of the ban.
“Does anyone know if the TikTok ban goes into effect on Sunday or if we have all of Sunday to like brain rot still? I need to plan accordingly,” fitness influencer Britany Williams said in a video to her 64,000 followers.
The Supreme Court unanimously upheld the ban on Friday, saying the law was justified on national security grounds.
Without a decision by Biden to formally invoke a 90-day delay in the deadline, companies providing services to TikTok or hosting the app could face enormous financial liability.
Experts said Trump could also direct his Justice Department to “deprioritize” or not enforce the law but it is not clear if that will provide enough legal protection to app store owners Apple and Google as well as companies like Oracle providing crucial data hosting and other services for TikTok.
Trump tried to force the divestment of TikTok in 2020 and vowed to ban it but was blocked by U.S. courts.