WASHINGTON, Jan 19 (Reuters) - President-elect has indicated openness to continued Chinese ownership of TikTok under the condition that measures are implemented to safeguard American users' data and store it within the U.S., incoming National Security Adviser Mike Waltz informed CNN on Sunday.
TikTok temporarily halted its services for its 170 million American users on Sunday following the enforcement of a law prohibiting the app's continued operation due to concerns among U.S. politicians that Chinese officials could misuse Americans' data.
Waltz mentioned to CNN that efforts are underway by the president-elect to "preserve TikTok" and did not dismiss the possibility of ongoing Chinese ownership with the inclusion of "firewalls to secure the data within U.S. borders."
President Trump has expressed his intention to likely grant TikTok a 90-day extension from the ban after assuming office on Monday, a commitment that TikTok referred to in a notice circulated to users on the app.
Waltz also spoke with CBS News on Sunday, highlighting that Trump needs time to address TikTok-related issues, emphasizing the necessity for TikTok to assess potential buyers amidst the extension period.
Nevertheless, Republican House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson conveyed differing views, suggesting that he anticipated Trump to advocate for a thorough change in ownership: "The way we interpret that is that he will likely push for a true divestiture, a change in ownership. It's not the platform that concerns members of Congress, but rather the Chinese Communist Party," Johnson stated on NBC's "Meet the Press".
Some Republican members of Congress have opposed the notion of extending the deadline for TikTok. Republican U.S. Senators Tom Cotton, the chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Pete Ricketts issued a joint statement on Sunday asserting that "there is no legal basis for any form of 'extension' of the ban's effective date."