On Saturday, US President-elect Donald Trump indicated that he would likely grant TikTok a 90-day reprieve from a possible ban once he assumes office on Monday. This announcement comes as the app, which has 170 million American users, buzzes with anxiety over a shutdown scheduled for Sunday.

In an NBC interview, Trump said, “The 90-day extension is very likely to happen because it makes sense. If I proceed with that, I will likely announce it on Monday.”

The app, owned by Chinese interests and beloved by almost half of all Americans, has energised small businesses and influenced online culture. On Friday, it announced that it would cease operations in the US on Sunday unless the Biden administration assures companies like Apple and Google that they will not encounter enforcement actions when a ban is implemented.

Under a law passed last year and upheld on Friday by a unanimous Supreme Court, the platform has until Sunday to cut ties with its China-based parent ByteDance or shut down its US operation to resolve concerns it poses a threat to national security.

On Friday, the White House described TikTok’s comments as a publicity stunt. On Saturday, it stressed that the incoming Trump administration was responsible for taking action, increasing the likelihood of a shutdown on Sunday.

“We see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take actions in the next few days before the Trump administration takes office on Monday,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new White House statement.

On Friday, the Chinese embassy in Washington charged the US with misusing state power to stifle TikTok. A spokesperson stated, “China will take all necessary actions to protect its legitimate rights and interests firmly.”

Users on the app were saying their goodbyes, some filming themselves frantically scrolling or sharing final secrets with their followers before the ban.

“Does anyone know if the TikTok ban goes into effect on Sunday or if we still have all of Sunday to brain rot? I need to plan accordingly,” fitness influencer Britany Williams said in a video to her 64,000 followers.

Supreme Court justices upheld the ban on Friday in a unanimous decision.

If Biden does not officially call for a 90-day extension on the deadline, companies offering services to TikTok or hosting the app may encounter legal risks. It remains uncertain whether TikTok’s business associates, such as Apple, Alphabet’s Google, and Oracle, will maintain their partnerships before Trump’s inauguration on Monday.

At the end of his first term, Trump helped initiate the US moves against TikTok, telling reporters he would ban the app.

Users move to alternatives.

Doubts about the app’s future left users, mainly younger individuals, seeking alternatives like RedNote from China.

Meta and Snap had also seen their shares rise this month ahead of the ban as investors bet on an influx of users and ad dollars.

Marketing firms reliant on TikTok have rushed to prepare contingency plans this week in what one executive described as a “hair on fire” moment after months of conventional wisdom saying that a solution would materialise to keep the app running.

Recent indications suggest TikTok might revive under Trump, who expressed his intent to seek a “political resolution”. Last month, he also urged the Supreme Court to halt enforcement of the ban.

A source told Reuters that TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew would attend the US presidential inauguration on Monday, where he is expected to join high-profile guests invited to a source who spoke to Reuters.

Suitors, including former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, have expressed interest in the fast-growing business that analysts estimate could be worth as much as US$50 billion.

Media reports say Beijing has also held talks about selling TikTok’s US operations to billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk, though the company has denied that.

Privately held ByteDance is approximately 60% owned by institutional investors like BlackRock and General Atlantic, with its founders and employees each holding 20%. The company employs over 7,000 individuals in the US.