It's unclear what Trump will actually do to stop the ban on TikTok. He doesn't become president until the day after the ban goes into effect, and the president-elect can't make any legislative changes — no matter how badly he says he wants to "keep this sucker around."

Trump’s apparent softening stance on TikTok represents a significant departure from his previous position, which had called for an immediate ban of the platform. Political analysts suggest this change might reflect a growing recognition of social media’s importance in modern political campaigning.