TikTok ban: President Trump delays enforcement by another 90 days

United States President Donald Trump has again extended the deadline for TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell the short-form video app to a U.S. owner by 90 days. The extension is the third of such in TikTok’s ‘sell or ban’ dilemma. 

In a statement on Thursday, Trump signed an executive order granting an extension for the Chinese-owned company to sell its platform and continue to operate in the U.S.

“I’ve just signed the Executive Order extending the Deadline for the TikTok closing for 90 days (September 17, 2025). Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump said on Truth Social.

TikTok has been caught in a dilemma over the 2024 divestment law, with allegations from the former President Joe Biden administration that TikTok’s ties to China pose a national security risk and that it exposes the sensitive information of Americans to the Chinese government.

The move, which mandates ByteDance to divest its U.S. operations to another owner, has been given two lifelines. The first lapsed on April 5, while the second extension of 75 days was meant to lapse on June 19 (today). The latest extension by 90 days has presented the platform another opportunity to find a non-Chinese buyer or face a U.S. ban.

TikTok expressed its delight at the new development, appreciating the U.S. government for the opportunity to continue serving its over 170 million American users. 

“We are grateful for President Trump’s leadership and support in ensuring that TikTok continues to be available for more than 170 million American users and 7.5 million U.S. businesses that rely on the platform as we continue to work with Vice President [JD] Vance’s Office,” a statement from TikTok reads. 

Also Read: World’s most followed TikToker, Khaby Lame leaves the US after detention for overstayed visa.

President Trump has remained firm on his promise to keep the app safe in the U.S. against all odds while it works on making a deal possible. He has also been reviewing proposals from interested parties. 

A report claimed that a group of U.S. investors, including Oracle, Blackstone, and Andreessen Horowitz, showed strong interest in the buyout on Wednesday. The proposal is reportedly considered a top contender for a potential deal. Other interested parties in talks include Amazon, Perplexity. Experts said a possible solution is for existing US investors in ByteDance to roll over their stakes into a new independent global TikTok company.

Despite tariff dispute, Trump is confident of a TikTok U.S. deal

In April, the U.S. President hinted that China would have agreed to a deal on the sale of TikTok if it were not for a dispute over his tariffs on Beijing. 

However, Trump explained that China will play a big role in getting any deal done and its  approval, saying that  “maybe I’ll give them a little reduction in tariffs or something to get it done.”

While restating his confidence in seeing through the TikTok U.S. sale, Trump said on Wednesday that he believed Chinese President Xi Jinping would be amenable toward a deal to sell the app. Trump added that he believed Xi would have to sign off on a deal if a buyer comes forward. 

Also, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that the administration wanted to ensure that Americans could continue to access the popular short video app.

“As he has said many times, President Trump does not want TikTok to go dark. This extension will last 90 days, which the administration will spend working to ensure this deal is closed so that the American people can continue to use TikTok with the assurance that their data is safe and secure,” Leavitt said.

While a deal would be impossible without approval from the Chinese government, ByteDance said it has confirmed talks with the U.S. government. It explained that important matters needed to be resolved, as any deal would be “subject to approval under Chinese law.”