U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a 75-day extension to the deadline for the sale or divestment of TikTok’s U.S. operations, postponing a potential ban on the popular social media platform. The new deadline, now set for mid-June, is the second delay granted since legislation was passed by Congress last year, requiring TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell its U.S. operations or face a ban.
The original deadline for either a ban or forced sale was set for January 19, but it was first extended to April 5 through an executive order signed by Trump on his return to office. The latest extension was confirmed via a post on Truth Social, where Trump explained that more time was needed for the deal to receive all necessary approvals. “The TikTok deal requires more work to ensure all necessary approvals are signed,” he said on Friday.
TikTok, with 170 million users in the U.S., has been under intense scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers due to concerns about data security and the potential for manipulation by its Chinese owner. Negotiations between ByteDance and the U.S. government are ongoing, but ByteDance has emphasized that no agreement has been finalized, and the deal is still subject to approval from the Chinese government. “ByteDance has been in discussion with the U.S. Government regarding a potential solution for TikTok U.S. An agreement has not been executed. There are key matters to be resolved,” the company said in a statement.
Several high-profile companies, including Oracle, Amazon, Walmart, Blackstone, billionaire Frank McCourt, a crypto foundation, and even the founder of OnlyFans, are reportedly vying for TikTok’s U.S. operations. Despite significant interest from these bidders, ByteDance has consistently argued that a forced sale of TikTok is not feasible due to legal, commercial, and technological obstacles. In previous court filings, the company called a forced sale “simply not possible.”
The sale discussions are also influenced by broader trade tensions between the U.S. and China. Just days before the extension announcement, Trump unveiled new tariffs on 60 countries and hinted that the future of TikTok could be tied to negotiations over U.S.-China trade relations. “We have a situation with TikTok where China will probably say we’ll approve a deal, but will you do something on the tariffs,” Trump said aboard Air Force One. “The tariffs give us great power to negotiate.”
In his follow-up statement, Trump softened his tone, expressing hope for continued cooperation with China. “We hope to continue working in good faith with China, who I understand are not very happy about our Reciprocal Tariffs. We do not want TikTok to ‘go dark.’ We look forward to working with TikTok and China to close the deal,” he stated.
The fate of TikTok in the U.S. remains uncertain, but the platform’s immense value as a social media and e-commerce powerhouse, along with its highly sought-after algorithm, continues to drive significant interest from corporate bidders and investors. A final decision on the sale or divestment is now expected by mid-June, setting the stage for a potentially high-stakes geopolitical and commercial showdown over one of the world’s most influential apps.
