Trump Saves TikTok Again, Extends Deadline For Sale
The U.S. President, Donald Trump, has again postponed the enforcement of a law that could ban TikTok in the United States by granting an additional 75-day extension just one day after the previous deadline expired.
Former U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration had signed a law in 2024 that required TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance to sell the app to a US owner or face a ban, over national security concerns.
The law was set to go into effect on January 20, but Trump intervened, delaying its enforcement for 90 days in hopes of reaching a deal to keep the app alive.
” I Like TikTok”, Trump declared.
However, with one day left, attempts by the Trump administration to find a suitable buyer to decentralize ByteDance’s control of the app has not been successful, leading to the extension.
“My Administration has been working very hard on a Deal to SAVE TIKTOK, and we have made tremendous progress. The Deal requires more work to ensure all necessary approvals are signed,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Vice President JD Vance, who has been leading the deal-making efforts, and Trump both expressed optimism earlier in the week that an agreement would be reached by the April 5 deadline. However, negotiations remain incomplete.
Sources close to the matter told CNN that one possible outcome could involve tech giant Oracle and a group of U.S. investors acquiring a majority stake in TikTok’s U.S. operations, with ByteDance retaining a minority interest.
Trump offered no specific details about the proposed arrangement in his latest update but emphasized the need for more time to secure the deal.
While the extension means TikTok will remain operational in the U.S. for now, uncertainty about its long-term future persists. Despite several interested American buyers, neither ByteDance nor the Chinese government has publicly signaled a willingness to move forward with a sale.
Adding complexity to the situation is the ongoing trade war between the two nations, with both sides increasing tariffs. However, Trump hinted at the possibility of reducing tariffs on Chinese imports if a TikTok deal is reached.
“We hope to continue working in Good Faith with China, who I understand are not very happy about our Reciprocal Tariffs,” Trump said.
“We do not want TikTok to ‘go dark.’ We look forward to working with TikTok and China to close the Deal,” he added.
Trump Saves TikTok Again, Extends Deadline For Sale is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
