President-elect Trump suggested Sunday that he might let TikTok stick around in the U.S., boasting his success on the app.
Why it matters: The popular short-form video app could be banned in the U.S. in less than a month — but Trump, who threatened to boot the app during his first term, has suggested he'd offer TikTok a lifeline.
Republican members of Congress took to the Sunday shows to praise Trump lieutenant Elon Musk's involvement in last week's government funding saga, with one likening him to "our prime minister."
Why it matters: The tech billionaire's influence is being fueled by threats to fund electoral challenges against those who defy him, creating a powerful incentive for Republicans to go along with his demands.
In less than a month, TikTok could be banned in the U.S. — and the fate of a multibillion-dollar creator economy is at stake.
Why it matters: The global influencer industry is worth about $250 billion, Goldman Sachs estimates. TikTok is where the big money is, and where many influencers have built their largest and most loyal followings.
Congress stopped the clock ticking toward a government shutdown early Saturday after the Senate followed the GOP-controlled House's lead in passing a stopgap measure that runs through March.
The latest: The resolution came after a Trump-backed plan to suspend the debt ceiling failed in the House Thursday and was nixed from the funding plan.
The MAGA-verse, with President-elect Trump and Elon Musk at the helm, continues to wield unprecedented power over Congress — but it has also found its limits.
Why it matters: Three times now, the influential voices surrounding Trump — often organizing on X — have failed to get exactly what they want.
