Three Democratic senators are calling on President Donald Trump to collaborate with Congress to prevent TikTok from being banned in the U.S. after April 5th.
Senators Ed Markey, Chris Van Hollen, and Cory Booker argue that Trump’s approach—delaying enforcement through executive action—puts TikTok’s service providers at risk of massive legal liability.
The law, passed overwhelmingly by Congress last year, required TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest the app by January 19th or face an effective U.S. ban. Trump extended the deadline by 75 days via executive order on his first day back in office, but the senators warn this move was both “unlawful” and impractical. The law penalizes service providers working with TikTok after the deadline, exposing them to up to $850 billion in liability.
Trump, who initially championed a TikTok ban during his first term, shifted his stance during his latest campaign, positioning himself as the app’s protector. However, the senators argue that his executive order does not override the law and leaves major tech firms—such as Oracle, Apple, and Google—relying on the administration’s assurance that enforcement will not occur.
Trump is reportedly considering two options to keep TikTok operational: extending the deadline further or negotiating a deal with Oracle to ensure U.S. user data security while allowing ByteDance to retain control over its recommendation algorithm.
However, critics, including Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI), insist any arrangement short of full divestiture would violate the law.
The senators propose an alternative: working with Congress to extend the deadline legally or amending the law to accommodate a deal. “Regardless of your approach, the path to saving TikTok should run through Capitol Hill,” they write.
