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- TikTok applauds the decision, announces ongoing collaboration with the White House
- New legislation requires TikTok’s sale or closure by January 2025.
- Official states the President “doesn’t want TikTok to shut down.”
On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced an extension until September 17 for ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company based in China, to divest its US assets, even though a law mandated a sale or shutdown without tangible progress.
Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to push back the deadline by an additional 90 days, a move he had previously hinted at.
The Republican president had already granted two extensions of the federal enforcement deadline, which initially was set for January, should a sale not show progress.
Trump has expressed a desire to keep TikTok, especially as it played a significant role in attracting younger voters during his 2024 presidential campaign.
He also indicated optimism that Chinese President Xi Jinping will permit a deal that will allow the app to continue, although it remains uncertain how prominently this issue has been addressed in the ongoing trade discussions between the two nations regarding tariffs.
“We appreciate President Trump’s support and leadership in ensuring TikTok remains accessible,” the company stated on its website.
TikTok mentioned they are actively working with Vice President JD Vance’s team on this matter.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on Tuesday, “President Trump will sign yet another executive order this week to keep TikTok operational.” She added, “The President doesn’t want TikTok to go offline,” emphasizing that the administration would utilize the next three months to secure a sale to ensure Americans can continue using the platform with confidence in their data security.
On Tuesday, Trump mentioned, “I will likely extend the deadline, yes.” He suggested that Chinese approval would be necessary, stating, “I believe we will get it.” He expressed confidence that President Xi would ultimately agree to the arrangement.
A law passed in 2024 mandated that TikTok would need to cease operations by January 19 unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, either completed the divestiture of the app’s US operations or showcased significant progress towards a sale.
As Trump began his second term on January 20, he opted not to enforce the law, first extending the deadline to early April and then again last month to June 19.
In March, Trump indicated he would consider reducing tariffs on China to facilitate an agreement with ByteDance regarding the ownership of TikTok, which has 170 million users in the US.
During the spring, a plan was in place to separate TikTok’s US operations into a new company, primarily owned and managed by American investors; however, this was stalled after China communicated that it would not endorse the deal in light of Trump’s announcement of significant tariffs on Chinese goods.
Some Democratic lawmakers contend that Trump lacks the legal authority to extend the deadline and argue that the proposed deal would not comply with legal standards.
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