On Thursday, President Donald Trump extended to September 17 the deadline for China-based ByteDance to divest the US operations of its short-video application, TikTok. This decision comes despite existing legislation mandating a sale or shutdown without substantial progress.
Trump signed an executive order deferring Thursday’s original deadline by an additional 90 days, a move he had previously hinted at. The Republican president had already granted two prior reprieves from federal enforcement of a law requiring TikTok’s sale or cessation of operations, which was set to take effect in January without significant movement toward a sale.
Trump has stated his desire to keep the app active in the US, acknowledging its role in helping him attract younger voters during the 2024 presidential election. He has also voiced optimism that Chinese President Xi Jinping would approve a deal that ensures the app’s continued presence, though the extent to which this topic has been discussed in ongoing US-China trade negotiations to resolve tariff disputes remains unclear.
“We are grateful for President Trump’s leadership and support in ensuring that TikTok continues to be available,” TikTok said in a statement published on its website. The company added that it is continuing to collaborate with U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s office on the matter.
“President Trump will sign an additional executive order this week to keep TikTok up and running,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Tuesday. “President Trump does not want TikTok to go dark,” she added, explaining that the administration plans to utilize the next three months to ensure the sale is finalized, thereby allowing Americans to continue using TikTok with assurances of data safety and security.
Trump had indicated on Tuesday that he would “probably, yeah,” extend the deadline. “Probably have to get China’s approval, but I think we’ll get it,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One. “I think President Xi will ultimately approve it.”
A 2024 law had mandated that TikTok cease operations by January 19 unless ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, had completed the divestment of the app’s US assets or demonstrated substantial progress toward a sale. Trump commenced his second term as president on January 20 and chose not to enforce this law. He initially extended the deadline to early April, and then again last month to June 19.
In March, Trump had expressed willingness to reduce tariffs on China to facilitate a deal with ByteDance for the sale of the short-video app, which is used by 170 million Americans. A deal had been in development this spring that would have spun off TikTok’s US operations into a new, US-based firm, with majority ownership and control by US investors. However, this proposal was put on hold after China signaled its disapproval following Trump’s announcements of steep tariffs on Chinese goods.
Some Democratic lawmakers argue that Trump lacks the legal authority to extend the deadline and suggest that the deal currently under consideration would not meet existing legal requirements.
