Trump Grants Third Extension for TikTok U.S. Sale Deadline Amid Ongoing Negotiations

President Donald Trump has granted a third extension to ByteDance Ltd., the Chinese parent company of TikTok, to sell its U.S. operations, allowing the popular video-sharing app to continue functioning in the United States while negotiations persist. This new 90-day extension follows two previous delays since Trump took office in January and comes as the administration seeks to ensure a deal is reached that addresses national security concerns related to data privacy and foreign ownership. The previous executive orders and legislative actions, including one signed by former President Joe Biden in April 2024, required ByteDance to divest TikTok’s U.S. assets or face removal from app stores by January 2025. The Supreme Court upheld the law mandating this sale, and the app briefly went offline in January before being restored after Trump promised to pause enforcement of the ban. The ongoing negotiations have involved multiple stakeholders, including U.S. tech companies interested in acquiring TikTok, and have been influenced by broader U.S.-China trade tensions. The Trump administration has emphasized its desire for TikTok to remain accessible to Americans, provided that user data is safeguarded and national security risks are mitigated. However, the repeated extensions have drawn criticism from some lawmakers who argue that the delays undermine the intent of the bipartisan law and prolong uncertainty for TikTok’s 170 million U.S. users. The outcome of the negotiations remains uncertain, with key issues yet to be resolved and requiring approval under Chinese law. The situation continues to evolve as the administration balances security, economic, and political considerations.139