In a move that extends the uncertainty surrounding TikTok’s future in the United States, President Donald Trump is poised to sign another executive order granting the Chinese-owned social media platform an additional 90 days to comply with the law mandating its divestment from ByteDance, its Chinese parent company.
This latest delay, the third since Trump took office, will push the critical deadline to mid-September 2025. The decision, confirmed by the White House on Tuesday, is a direct response to the bipartisan law passed last year, which ordered ByteDance to either sell TikTok to a non-Chinese owner or face a nationwide ban.
Despite widespread concerns over national security, including allegations that TikTok could be a tool for Chinese surveillance, the Trump administration has opted for yet another extension.
This ongoing reprieve means that TikTok’s 170 million U.S. users can continue using the platform in the immediate term, though the long-term future of the app remains in limbo.
National Security Concerns
The core of the controversy centres around the fears that TikTok could be used to harvest vast amounts of data on U.S. users, potentially allowing China to monitor the behaviour of millions of American citizens.
National security experts have repeatedly raised alarms over the potential misuse of TikTok’s algorithms, which could be manipulated to influence American political opinions or promote propaganda.
In response to these concerns, Congress passed the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary-Controlled Applications Act, which requires ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations or face a ban.
According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the latest extension will provide the Trump administration with more time to finalise a deal that would allow TikTok to continue its U.S. operations with “the assurance that their data is safe and secure.”
Despite the ongoing pressure, the Trump administration has been cautious about enforcing the law in full, giving the company yet another lifeline. The President has also expressed his preference for a deal that would see a U.S. company, such as Oracle, take control of TikTok’s operations.
The Ongoing Negotiations and Delays
This extension, while seemingly simple, is part of a more complex and ongoing negotiation process. In the past, the Trump administration had announced deals that appeared close to fruition, including one that would have placed TikTok under American control.
However, talks stalled due to increasing tensions between the U.S. and China over trade tariffs, with Beijing refusing to approve any agreement without resolving these issues. The latest deadline extension, due to expire on Thursday, now provides both sides with additional time to resolve the “key matters” still outstanding.
The President has expressed confidence that China will eventually approve a deal that sees TikTok’s U.S. operations separated from ByteDance, despite ongoing challenges. However, as more time slips by without a definitive resolution, the pressure on both TikTok and the U.S. administration to bring the situation to a close continues to grow.
