Unusual Whales

TikTok CEO Shou Chew is planning to attend Donald Trump's inauguration

Unusual Whales -

Topline

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew plans to attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration next week, according to a report by the New York Times on Wednesday. This comes as the Supreme Court signals it may uphold a bipartisan law—opposed by Trump—that would require TikTok to be sold to an American company or face a U.S. ban.

Key Facts

  • The Times reports that Chew received a formal invitation from the Trump Vance Inaugural Committee to attend the ceremony.
  • Chew is expected to be seated “in a position of honor on the dais,” a space traditionally reserved for former presidents, family members, and high-ranking guests.
  • Forbes has reached out to TikTok for a comment but has not yet received a response.

TikTok’s Future Under Trump

On Tuesday, the Washington Post reported that Trump is considering an executive order, once in office, to delay the enforcement of the law targeting TikTok by two to three months. However, legal experts doubt whether a president can unilaterally suspend a law passed by Congress, especially one with bipartisan support. Trump reportedly wants to present himself as “making a deal” to preserve the app, which is popular among U.S. users.

High-Profile Attendees

The world’s three wealthiest individuals—Tesla and X owner Elon Musk, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg—are all expected to attend the inauguration. The three are reportedly set to be seated together on the main dais alongside other prominent guests.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who has contributed to the inaugural committee, may also attend. Additionally, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong is reportedly among the invitees.