President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that gives China-based ByteDance an extra 90 days to divest its U.S. assets related to TikTok. This extension pushes the deadline to September 17, 2025. The decision comes despite a law requiring a sale or shutdown of the app by January 19 unless significant progress was made.
In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump stated, “I’ve just signed the Executive Order extending the Deadline for the TikTok closing for 90 days.” This move means that the ban on TikTok, which was set to start on Thursday, has been postponed.
TikTok expressed gratitude for the extension, emphasizing its importance to over 170 million American users and 7.5 million U.S. businesses that rely on the platform. The company is currently in talks with Vice President JD Vance’s office as they work towards a solution.
The law in question, known as the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, was passed in April 2024. It aimed to address concerns about national security and data privacy regarding TikTok’s operations in the U.S. The Supreme Court upheld this law earlier this year, reinforcing the urgency for ByteDance to take action.
This is not the first time Trump has extended the deadline. Since beginning his second term in January, he has pushed back the deadline twice before, first to early April and then to June 19. Critics, including some Democratic senators, argue that Trump lacks the legal authority to keep extending the deadline and that any potential deal may not fulfill legal requirements.
The White House has indicated that the administration will focus on ensuring a sale is completed in the coming months. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Trump does not want TikTok to be unavailable and wants to ensure that American users’ data remains secure.
Earlier this year, Trump mentioned he might consider reducing tariffs on China to facilitate a deal with ByteDance for the sale of TikTok. A potential agreement was in the works to create a new U.S.-based company to manage TikTok’s operations, but that was stalled after China expressed disapproval due to the tariffs.
TikTok remains popular among younger Americans, with surveys showing that a significant portion of U.S. adults and teens use the platform. As the situation unfolds, many are watching closely to see how this extension will impact TikTok’s future in the United States.