Trump Invites TikTok CEO to Inauguration Sparking Rumors He Will Save Platform
The chief executive of TikTok has been invited to attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration next week, igniting hope amongst the platform’s millions of US users that the platform will be saved from being banned.
Shou Zi Chew will reportedly sit in a position of honor on the dais, which is typically reserved for family members, former presidents, and other important guests.
TikTok currently boasts more than 170 million American users with around $20 billion of estimated revenue in 2025.
The federal ban on the platform is expected to take place on Sunday, January 19.
The company said it plans to shut down U.S. operations of its social media app if the ban goes through.
Trump is considering issuing an executive order to suspend enforcement of a shutdown for 60 to 90 days, according to The Washington Post.
READ: Meta Finally Admits to Censoring Conservatives After Zuckerberg-Trump Meeting
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Earlier this week, reports emerged that Tech billionaire Elon Musk could buy TikTok before it’s potentially banned.
According to sources, Chinese government officials have considered selling TikTok’s U.S. operations to Musk if the ban is implemented by January 19.
The Chinese government is expected to have the final say on whether TikTok is sold; however, a deal involving Elon Musk could be on the table.
If sold to Musk, it is likely that he would run both X and TikTok simultaneously.
It is unclear whether ByteDance is aware of the Chinese government’s plans for the potential deal.
“In my opinion, TikTok should not be banned in the USA, even though such a ban may benefit the X platform,” Musk wrote in an X post at the time.
“Doing so would be contrary to freedom of speech and expression. It is not what America stands for.”
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READ: Joe Biden Suddenly Concerned About ‘Dangers of Big Tech’ After Zuckerberg Aligns with Trump