TikTok, under the magnifying glass of the Trump government 1:26
(CNN) –– The President of the United States, Donald Trump, assured on Friday night that he will ban the Chinese platform TikTok.
Speaking on board the Air Force One plane, Trump said, "As for TikTok, we are going to ban them in the United States." The president added that he would take action this Saturday and firmly rejected the indirect agreement that involves Microsoft buying TikTok.
Trump said he could use emergency economic powers or a decree to ban TikTok. "Well, I have that authority. I can do it with a decree or that, ”he said, referring to the emergency economic powers.
Press reports had indicated that Microsoft was in talks to acquire TikTok. But the company declined to comment to CNN Business about it.
This week, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had noted that the United States government is conducting a TikTok national security review and is preparing to make a policy recommendation to Trump.
CNN previously reported that people working on the TikTok issue within the Trump administration expect the president to sign an order to force the Chinese company ByteDance, the parent of TikTok, to sell the U.S. operations of its popular video app. short format, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Trump's comments come 10 days after TikTok revealed that it plans to create 10,000 jobs in the United States over the next three years. The decision at that time came as the authorities' scrutiny of the platform increased.
TikTok