TikTok has been granted a last-minute reprieve in the United States, following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump that extends the deadline for its parent company, ByteDance, to divest its U.S. operations. The order, issued on April 5—Trump’s second Inauguration Day—delays any enforcement action for 75 days, giving the popular video-sharing app a temporary lifeline.
Under a law signed by former President Joe Biden last year, ByteDance had until January 19, 2025, to sell its U.S. stake in TikTok or face a nationwide ban. However, Trump’s executive order delayed enforcement, protecting TikTok until April 5. With the latest extension, the new deadline now falls in mid-June.
The U.S. government continues to push for TikTok to be separated from ByteDance over national security concerns. Officials fear that the Chinese Communist Party could potentially access sensitive data from American users or use the app as a vehicle for propaganda targeting the nation’s youth.
These concerns mirror those Trump raised during his first term, when he also attempted to force a sale of TikTok to U.S.-based investors. However, the effort was ultimately sidelined by the 2020 election. During his second term, Trump has expressed a more nuanced view of TikTok, crediting the platform with helping him connect with younger voters during the most recent campaign. Nevertheless, he remains committed to ensuring that TikTok ends up under American control.
In his latest announcement, President Trump reiterated that while he supports the platform’s presence in the U.S., he wants its ownership to reflect American interests. Several major American companies have reportedly shown interest in acquiring TikTok’s U.S. operations, including Oracle, AppLovin, Walmart, and Amazon.
Sources have indicated that a previous deal was close to completion, which would have granted majority ownership of TikTok’s U.S. business to American investors while allowing ByteDance to retain a minority stake. However, the deal was reportedly derailed after China reacted to Trump’s decision to impose a 54% increase in tariffs on U.S. imports from the country.
For now, TikTok users in the U.S. can continue to access the app without disruption. The 75-day extension offers a crucial window for negotiations between U.S. stakeholders and Chinese authorities to potentially secure a deal that satisfies both sides.
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