TikTok faces a critical deadline on January 19, just one day before Trump takes office, as the app must either divest from ByteDance or face a U.S. ban. Despite Trump's recent positive comments about the platform, the timeline presents significant challenges.

Trump recently expressed interest in keeping TikTok operational in the U.S., citing his campaign's success on the platform with "billions of views." He shared these thoughts during an AmericaFest appearance and has since met with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew.

The situation stems from a Senate law passed in April requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok, citing national security concerns. While the Supreme Court has agreed to review TikTok's appeal, the current deadline remains intact.

Key challenges include:

• The January 19 divestment deadline precedes Trump's January 20 inauguration
• The overwhelming Senate support for the original divestiture order
• Ongoing national security concerns from the Justice Department
• Questions about ByteDance's access to U.S. user data

TikTok maintains that its content recommendation engine and user data are stored on U.S.-based Oracle Corp servers. However, multiple reports suggest Beijing-based officials retain data access, fueling continued security concerns among U.S. lawmakers.

The app's fate now hinges on either a favorable Supreme Court ruling or successful divestment before the deadline, as Trump's ability to intervene may be limited by both timing and existing legislation.

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