ISLAMABAD: U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a third extension to the deadline for Chinese tech company ByteDance to divest TikTok’s U.S. assets, giving the app another 90 days to remain operational in the United States.
The decision delays enforcement of a law passed by Congress that required TikTok to either be sold or shut down if no significant progress was made by June 19.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Tuesday that President Trump will sign a new executive order this week to prevent TikTok from going offline, pushing the deadline to mid-September.
TikTok Remains Online as White House Cites User Data Concerns
The White House stated the extension is aimed at ensuring that Americans continue to access TikTok safely while negotiations for a sale continue.
“President Trump does not want TikTok to go dark,” Leavitt said, emphasizing the administration’s focus on protecting user data and national security.
TikTok, which is used by over 170 million Americans, played a significant role in boosting Trump’s outreach to younger voters during the 2024 election, a factor reportedly influencing his decision to allow the app more time.
Earlier on Tuesday, speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump hinted at the extension, saying, “Probably, yeah… I think President Xi will ultimately approve it.”
Political Disputes and Global Tensions Surround TikTok Sale
The law initially mandated TikTok’s shutdown by January 19 unless ByteDance completed a sale or made notable progress. Although the deal was in motion to transfer TikTok’s U.S. operations to a company led by American investors, it stalled after China pushed back due to Trump’s imposition of steep tariffs.
President Trump previously said he might ease tariffs on China to secure the deal.
Despite the delay, Democratic senators have raised concerns, arguing that the president may lack the legal authority to extend the deadline and that the current sale proposal may not satisfy legal standards.
