Trump Grants TikTok Another 90-Day Extension Amid Ongoing Sale Negotiations
President Donald Trump has granted a fresh 90-day extension to TikTok, delaying enforcement of the U.S. law that would ban the app unless it is sold by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Tuesday that Trump plans to sign a new executive order allowing TikTok to remain operational in the United States. “President Trump does not want TikTok to go dark,” Leavitt said, adding that the additional time will be used to finalize a deal aimed at safeguarding American user data.
The latest extension, Trump’s third since taking office, shifts the deadline to September 17. It comes amid continued efforts to negotiate a sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations to American investors – a requirement of legislation signed into law last year under former President Joe Biden, which gave ByteDance an ultimatum: sell TikTok or face a ban.
While a potential sale appeared close earlier this year, talks stalled in April after the Trump administration imposed new tariffs on China. ByteDance, in response, said any agreement would still require approval under Chinese law, further complicating the process. Chinese officials have indicated they would not permit any deal that includes TikTok’s proprietary algorithm – widely seen as the engine of its global success.
Despite this, Trump remains optimistic. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, he said, “I think President Xi will ultimately approve it.”
TikTok, which has over 170 million users in the U.S., expressed gratitude for the administration’s continued engagement. “We are grateful for President Trump’s leadership and support in ensuring that TikTok remains available to users and the 7.5 million U.S. businesses that rely on the platform,” the company said, adding that it remains in talks with Vice President JD Vance’s office to reach a resolution.
The president’s extension also coincides with broader efforts to ease U.S.–China tensions, including a newly agreed framework to reduce export controls. While it is unclear whether TikTok is explicitly part of that agreement, the thaw in relations may open the door for progress on the sale.
The earlier deal under consideration would have created a U.S.-based entity to oversee TikTok’s domestic operations, with ByteDance retaining a minority 20% stake. Several notable bidders have shown interest in the acquisition, including a consortium led by billionaire Frank McCourt, “Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Leary, Amazon, AI startup Perplexity, and a group of digital creators that included YouTube personality MrBeast.
Trump, who previously attempted to ban TikTok during his first term before reversing course, has taken a more measured approach in his second term. The app’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, notably attended Trump’s inauguration earlier this year, seated alongside members of the president’s Cabinet and top tech executives.
With the new September deadline now in place, attention will turn to whether a deal can finally be sealed – or whether TikTok’s future in the U.S. will again hang in the balance.
