President Donald Trump has once again postponed the deadline for TikTok’s owners to sell the app to non-Chinese buyers or face a potential U.S. ban. The new executive order, announced on Friday, extends the deadline by 75 days. This move follows an earlier extension of a January deadline that was part of a law passed by the U.S. Congress last year.
Trump posted on his Truth Social network, saying, “My Administration has been working very hard on a Deal to SAVE TIKTOK, and we have made tremendous progress.” He added that the deal requires further work to secure all the necessary approvals, expressing optimism about continuing negotiations with both TikTok and China.
The law, passed with bipartisan support in 2024, required TikTok to separate from its Chinese parent company ByteDance or face a ban, citing concerns over data privacy and national security. Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the law, prioritizing national security over freedom of speech.
On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order halting the ban, allowing more time to “determine the appropriate course forward” while avoiding an abrupt shutdown of the platform used by millions of Americans.
The Trump administration has received multiple offers from U.S. companies to purchase TikTok, but ByteDance has consistently stated that it has no plans to sell the app. However, Reuters reported that the U.S. government is now considering a plan where the largest non-Chinese investors in ByteDance could increase their stakes and take control of TikTok’s U.S. operations. This arrangement would create a new U.S. entity for the app and reduce Chinese ownership below the 20% threshold required by U.S. law.
TikTok, which operates from Singapore and Los Angeles, has repeatedly emphasized its commitment to user safety. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also denied any government requests for data collection from foreign countries.
In response to Trump’s announcement, ByteDance confirmed ongoing talks with the U.S. government but cautioned that “key matters” remain unresolved. Several reports indicate that Beijing has suspended negotiations following the imposition of reciprocal tariffs by Trump on Wednesday.
Trump has also considered reducing tariffs on China, which are set to reach 54% by April 10, in an effort to push through a deal with ByteDance. Despite claims that TikTok is not controlled by the Chinese government, critics have pointed to increased state influence over China’s tech sector. With nearly half of the U.S. population using TikTok, the platform remains one of the most popular social media apps in the country.
