Connect with us

Published

on

TikTok has begun restoring service to the app in the US after Donald Trump said he would sign an executive order pausing its ban.

A law signed by President Joe Biden last April required ByteDance, TikTok‘s China-based parent company, to sell the app to a non-Chinese owner by Sunday or face a ban.

Some users reported that they lost access on Saturday night, and Americans opening the app on Sunday have been greeted with a message saying they “can’t use” TikTok “for now”.

But in a post on Truth Social ahead of his inauguration, Mr Trump said he would issue an executive order handing the app an extension to find a new owner.

TikTok has shut down for US users. Pic: Kirsty Hickey
Image:
TikTok users in the US were unable to use the app on Sunday. Pic: Kirsty Hickey

“I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark,” the president-elect wrote, adding the order will allow time “so that we can make a deal to protect our national security”.

He then confirmed that “there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order” and said: “Americans deserve to see our exciting Inauguration on Monday, as well as other events and conversations.”

TikTok later said it had started restoring service on Sunday, thanking the president for clarifying to service providers “that they will face no penalties providing TikTok”.

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

Ahead of the ban coming into effect, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called TikTok’s plans to shut down the app a “stunt” and said actions enforcing the ban would “fall to the next administration”.

Mr Trump also indicated on Truth Social what a possible deal could look like, saying he would prefer the US “to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture” with ByteDance or a new owner.

“Without US approval, there is no TikTok,” he said. “With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars – maybe trillions.”

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Why was TikTok getting banned in the US?

On Saturday, the president-elect told NBC News‘ Meet The Press moderator Kristen Welker that TikTok would “most likely” be given a 90-day pause from the ban to find a new owner.

Under the bipartisan law on TikTok – signed by Mr Biden – the president can grant a one-time extension of 90 days under three conditions:

• There is a path to divestiture of the app

• There is “significant progress” toward executing a sale

• There are in place “the relevant binding legal agreements to enable execution of such qualified divestiture during the period of such extension”

No legal agreements on the sale of TikTok to a non-Chinese owner have been made public, and Mr Trump did not say on Saturday if he was aware of any recent progress toward a sale.

CNBC later reported Perplexity AI made a bid for the app’s parent company on Saturday to allow it to merge with TikTok US and create a new entity, which would also include New Capital Partners.

Read more:
‘No plans’ for UK to ban TikTok, minister says
What is the Chinese social media app RedNote?

During his first term in the White House, Mr Trump attempted to ban TikTok as well as the Chinese-owned messaging app WeChat but was blocked by the courts. It was later revoked by Mr Biden.

Last year, he briefly met with the app’s chief executive Shou Zi Chew, who will attend the inauguration on Monday.

He’s expected to sit with fellow tech executives Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos, a Trump transition official told NBC.

Continue Reading

US

Donald Trump pauses US military aid to Ukraine

Published

on

By

Donald Trump pauses US military aid to Ukraine

Donald Trump has paused US military aid to Ukraine just days after his row with President Zelenskyy.

A White House official, speaking anonymously, said: “President [Trump] has been clear that he is focused on peace.

“We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution.”

There was no indication about the possible length of the pause, and there’s been no comment so far from Ukraine.

It comes after the astonishing clash between the two leaders – as well as vice president Vance – in the Oval Office on Friday.

Donald Trump‘s berating of Mr Zelenskyy has led to a show of support from European leaders as they try to formulate their own way forward.

The US president attacked the Ukrainian leader again on Monday, telling reporters he should be “more appreciative”.

More on Donald Trump

US military aid has included Patriot air defence systems. Pic: Reuters
Image:
The tens of billion in US aid has included Patriot air defence systems. Pic: Reuters

Writing on Truth Social, Mr Trump also said Mr Zelenskyy had made “the worst statement that could have been made” after he commented that peace was still “very, very far away”.

“America will not put up with it for much longer!” he posted.

“It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be peace as long as he has America’s backing,” the president added.

Mr Zelenskyy then posted on X, saying Ukraine was “working together with America and our European partners and very much hope on US support on the path to peace”.

“Peace is needed as soon as possible,” he said.

‘Music to the ears of Putin’

By David Blevins, US correspondent

President Trump’s decision to pause military aid to Ukraine marks a significant shift in US foreign policy, one previously considered unthinkable.

This blow to Ukraine’s defences in the face of Russian aggression will be music to the ears of President Putin. US military aid has kept Ukraine in this David and Goliath battle for three years.

It has funded what military analysts simplify as “the big stuff” of battle – artillery, anti-tank weapons, rockets and armoured vehicles. Trump’s decision to push pause disregards efforts by Keir Starmer and other European leaders to devise a peace plan.

Those already questioning Europe’s reliance on the US for defence will conclude they have been given the answer.

But the decision sets President Trump up for a potential confrontation with Republicans, who had approved the funding, in Congress.

White House sources say he wants President Zelenskyy to go on TV and apologise for the jaw-dropping showdown last Friday. But the Ukrainian president feels he has no apology to make for expressing his doubt about Russia’s commitment to peace.

Earlier, Trump side-stepped a question about a Kremlin diplomat claiming the US administration and Moscow were now aligned on foreign policy.

This weakening of Ukraine’s defence capability moves that question front and centre as he prepares to address Congress on Tuesday.

Despite the diplomatic crisis, President Trump has said a deal is still possible.

An agreement giving the US access to Ukraine’s rare earth metals was meant to have been signed by the two presidents on Friday.

It was billed as an important step in a future peace deal – and part payback for aid already received.

However, the dramatic falling out has thrown that into jeopardy.

Mr Zelenskyy wants the metals deal to include guarantees on halting Russia should it break the terms of any peace agreement.

However, vice president JD Vance suggested on Monday that the metals pact was the best way to secure a lasting end to the war.

“If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine
again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine,” Mr Vance said.

“That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years,” he added.

European and world allies – who met the Ukrainian leader in London at the weekend – have discussed a “coalition of the willing” to deploy peacekeepers and deter further Russian aggression.

The prime minister said Britain was prepared to put “boots on the ground and planes in the air” under the plan – but it’s unclear who else might participate.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

How many countries will back Starmer’s plan?

Read more:
Long-range drones ‘weakening Russia’s combat ability’
Zelenskyy: ‘I am exchangeable for NATO membership’

The coalition that could secure peace in Ukraine

Keir Starmer told MPs on Monday that Britain must “lead from the front” on supporting Ukraine and the “security of our continent, the security of our country”.

However, the prime minister believes any international deployment of troops must have a US “backstop” deterrent to be taken seriously by Russia.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Sky News gets rare access to drone launch

America has given around €64bn of military aid to Ukraine, compared with €62bn from European nations (including Britain).

The overall US total is €114bn and the European one €132bn. This includes humanitarian aid and other financial assistance to keep the country running.

Following the weekend summit, the UK also pledged £1.6bn in finance for Ukraine to buy another 5,000 air defence missiles.

Continue Reading

US

Donald Trump confirms Mexico and Canada tariffs – sending financial markets reeling

Published

on

By

Donald Trump confirms Mexico and Canada tariffs - sending financial markets reeling

Donald Trump has confirmed 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada, taking effect at 5am UK time on Tuesday.

The US president confirmed the tariffs in a speech at the White House – and his announcement sent US stocks down sharply.

The tariffs will be felt heavily by US companies which have factories in Canada and Mexico, such as carmakers.

Mr Trump said: “They’re going to have a tariff. So what they have to do is build their car plants, frankly, and other things in the United States, in which case they have no tariffs.”

There’s “no room left” for a deal that would see the tariffs shelved if fentanyl flowing into the US is curbed by its neighbours, he added.

As of 12:01am Eastern Standard Time (5.01am GMT), Mexico and Canada face tariffs of 25%, with 10% for Canadian energy, the Trump administration confirmed.

And tariffs on Chinese imports will double, raising them from 10% to 20%.

More on Donald Trump

Canada announced it would retaliate immediately, imposing 25% tariffs on US imports worth C$30bn (£16.3bn). It added the tariffs would be extended in 21 days to cover more US goods entering the country if the US did not lift its sanctions against Canada.

China also vowed to retaliate and reiterated its stance that the Trump administration was trying to “shift the blame” and
“bully” Beijing over fentanyl flows.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

What is America’s trade position?

Mr Trump’s speech stoked fears of a trade war in North America and sent financial markets reeling.

Markets the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and the Nasdaq Composite fell by 1.4% and 1.76% respectively.

The share prices for automobile companies including General Motors, which has significant truck production in Mexico, Automaker and Ford also fell.

👉 Follow Trump 100 on your podcast app 👈

Consumers in the US could see price hikes within days, an expert has said.

Gustavo Flores-Macias, a public policy professor at Cornell University, New York, said “the automobile sector, in particular, is likely to see considerable negative consequences”.

This is due to supply chains that “crisscross the three countries in the manufacturing process” and ” because of the expected increase in the price of vehicles, which can dampen demand,” he added.

Read more:
The effects of Trump trade tariffs explained
Trump hits out at Zelenskyy again

The Trump administration is gearing up to bring in other tariffs in the coming weeks.

On 2 April, reciprocal tariffs will take on effects on all countries that impose duties on US products.

He is also considering 25% tariffs on goods from the EU “very soon” after claiming the bloc was created to “screw the United States”.

Continue Reading

US

America will not put up with it for much longer!’: Donald Trump hits out at Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy once again

Published

on

By

America will not put up with it for much longer!': Donald Trump hits out at Ukraine's President Zelenskyy once again

Donald Trump has hit out at the Ukrainian president once again, just four days after an explosive on-camera spat between the pair.

The US president posted on Truth Social saying Volodymyr Zelenskyy made “the worst statement that could have been made” when he said the end of the war with Russia is “very, very far away”.

“America will not put up with it for much longer!” Mr Trump posted.

“It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be peace as long as he has America’s backing,” the president added.

He also appeared to attack Mr Zelenskyy and Europe after yesterday’s Ukraine summit in London at which leaders, according to Mr Trump: “stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the US.”

“What are they thinking?” Mr Trump asked.

A deal to end the war was still “very, very far away”, Mr Zelenskyy said earlier, adding he expects to keep receiving US support despite the two leaders’ public spat.

More on Donald Trump

“I think our relationship (with the US) will continue because it’s more than an occasional relationship,” the Ukrainian president added.

Mr Trump said in his Truth Social post: “This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!

“It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be Peace as long as he has America’s backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S. – Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking?”

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News App. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.

Continue Reading

Trending