Jan 16, 2025 - Politics & Policy

TikTok CEO to attend Trump inauguration as app's ban looms

Ivana Saric

Shou Zi Chew, chief executive officer of TikTok Inc., speaks during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in Lima, Peru, on Friday, Nov. 15, — TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Lima, Peru, in November 2024. Photo: Manuel Orbegozo/Bloomberg via Getty Images

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew intends to attend President-elect Trump's inauguration next week and is expected to sit on the dais alongside other prominent guests, a Trump transition source confirmed to Axios Thursday.

Why it matters: News of his invite comes as TikTok's fate hangs in the balance, with the U.S. ban of the popular platform set to take effect on Sunday, barring any eleventh-hour intervention.

Driving the news: The Trump Vance Inaugural Committee issued the invitation to Chew, the Trump transition source said.

He will join other tech industry titans at the inauguration, including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos, according to the New York Times, which first reported the news.

Flashback: During his first term, Trump spearheaded the initial effort to ban TikTok, but appeared to flip-flop on the platform's future while campaigning for office last year.

Zoom out: It's not yet clear how Trump could intervene to save the popular Chinese-owned app from the ban, but he wants to try, according to Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.), Trump's pick for his national security adviser.

Trump is looking to craft a deal to "preserve" TikTok while protecting U.S. users' data, Waltz told Fox News Wednesday, though he did not offer specifics about the plan.
"I don't want to get ahead of our executive orders but we're going to create the space to — to put that deal in place," he added, calling Trump a "dealmaker."

Go deeper: What will happen to TikTok on Jan. 19

Add Axios on Google

TikTok CEO to attend Trump inauguration as app's ban looms

What to read next