The clock has tick-tocked out of time, but President-elect Donald Trump has announced a plan to “save” the Chinese video-sharing app TikTok by having the US take over 50% of the company.

Hawks within his own party say the site can’t be revived unless it’s sold.

Trump pitched a plan to rescue TikTok by giving it an extension and having the US take 50% ownership in a joint venture that would buy the platform. 

It was not clear whether Trump meant that he wanted the US government to own the app.

“Save TikTok,” Trump, 78, wrote in all caps on his Truth Social platform Sunday morning.

“I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark!” Trump added in a follow-up post. “Americans deserve to see our exciting Inauguration on Monday, as well as other events and conversations.”

Hours earlier, TikTok notified users that the platform was offline and later tweaked its message to credit the incoming president, stating “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution.”

TikTok’s parent company ByteDance had nine months — a Jan. 19 deadline — to either sell the platform’s US business or be banned.

The ban overwhelmingly passed both chambers of Congress back in April and was subsequently signed into law by President Biden.

Trump also reiterated his plans to issue an executive order when he takes office on Monday to give TikTok more time for its parent company to divest. 

“The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order,” he further explained.

“I would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture.  By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to say up.  Without U.S. approval, there is no TikTok,” he added.

However, key Republican China hawks in Congress are gloating over the ban on TikTok, and arguing that an extension is not possible.

“Now that the law has taken effect, there’s no legal basis for any kind of ‘extension’ of its effective date,” said Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) —publicly casting doubt on whether TikTok can be revived in the US.

“For TikTok to come back online in the future, ByteDance must agree to a sale that satisfies the law’s qualified- divestiture requirements by severing all ties between TikTok and Communist China. Only then will Americans be protected from the grave threat posed to their privacy and security by a communist-controlled TikTok.”

TikTok, which claims to have a user base of over 170 million in the US, has long triggered national security concerns.

Lawmakers and experts have expressed concerns that TikTik gives China access to a massive cache of biometric identifiers, location data, browsing data and more from Americans.

There have also been heightened fears that TikTok can be used as a propaganda weapon against the US.

During Trump’s first administration, the soon-to-be 47th president had taken executive action against TikTok that later got scuttled in the courts. However, during the interim between his two administrations, Trump had a change of heart.

GOP megadonor, billionaire Jeff Yass, who made investments in TikTok, has reportedly pushed Trump behind the scenes to defend TikTok.

TikTok CEO Shou Chew is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration Monday.

Trump joined TikTok during the 2024 campaign cycle and has mused that it helped boost his performance among younger voters.

Additionally, Trump has argued that taking TikTok off the map could be a huge boost for Meta’s Facebook and Instagram — platforms he was previously banned on.

The president-elect has contended that saving TikTok is important for free market competition.