Cruz expects to see TikTok sale under Trump

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said Monday that he expects to see TikTok sold under President-elect Trump, as the incoming president has vowed to protect the app.

“Well, the statute allowed for a 90-day delay to facilitate a sale. What I hope and expect is that we see that sale,” he said.

“The purpose of the law was not to ban TikTok. The purpose of the law was to end the Chinese Communist government ownership and control,” he said. “And that’s what I hope and expect will happen.”

The law, passed by wide bipartisan majorities in Congress, required TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance to divest from the app by Sunday or face a ban. The measure came in the face of increasing concern about the app's ties to China, including the possibility the Chinese government could access American user data.

The Supreme Court upheld the law Friday, finding it did not violate the First Amendment and teeing up a ban.

The Biden administration said it would leave enforcement to the incoming Trump administration. However, TikTok said it would “go dark” ahead of the ban, arguing the White House had not provided the necessary assurances to service providers that they would not face penalties for keeping the app available.

TikTok shut down access for American users late Saturday night. Just over 12 hours later, the app was back up and running. The platform thanked Trump, who on Sunday said he planned to sign an executive order giving the app an extension.

“It’s a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship,” TikTok said in a post on X. “We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.”

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