President Trump grants TikTok a 90-day extension, delaying a U.S. ban amid stalled sale talks and rising geopolitical tensions with China over data security.
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| Trump’s third extension of TikTok’s ban deadline keeps the app online in the U.S. as sale talks with ByteDance continue and legal concerns remain unresolved. Image: CH |
Washington, USA – June 18, 2025:
TikTok has secured another temporary lifeline in the United States. President Donald Trump will sign a new executive order this week, granting ByteDance a 90-day extension to finalize the sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations, the White House confirmed Tuesday.
This marks the third time Trump has pushed back the deadline since returning to office in January. The popular video-sharing platform had faced a looming ban under bipartisan legislation passed in 2024, which mandated that TikTok divest from its Chinese parent company or cease operations in the U.S.
“President Trump will sign an additional Executive Order this week to keep TikTok up and running,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. “This extension will ensure the deal is closed so that Americans can continue using TikTok with confidence in the security of their personal data.”
In an interview with the BBC, Trump added, “We’ll probably have to get China’s approval. I think we’ll get it. I think President Xi will ultimately approve it.” Asked if he had the legal authority to postpone enforcement, he said, “We do.”
While the Supreme Court upheld the TikTok law in January, just before Trump’s inauguration, his decision to delay the ban reflects a more strategic, deal-oriented approach than that of his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, who signed the ban into law in 2024. The app briefly went offline during the presidential transition but was restored shortly after Trump took office.
Trump’s relationship with TikTok has evolved since his first attempt to force a sale in 2020. In December 2024, he credited the platform for helping him connect with younger voters during the election. “I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok,” Trump said. “I won youth by 34 points.” However, independent polls showed most voters under 30 supported Kamala Harris.
Analysts suggest the threat of a ban is now more political theater than policy. “What ban?” said Forrester principal analyst Kelsey Chickering. “TikTok isn’t acting like a company under threat. They just unveiled new AI video tools at Cannes, signaling confidence.”
Negotiations over a U.S. buyout are ongoing. Cloud computing giant Oracle—co-founded by Trump supporter Larry Ellison—remains a key contender. Other bidders include billionaire Frank McCourt, investor Kevin O’Leary, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, and YouTube megastar MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson). ByteDance has confirmed that any deal would still require regulatory approval from Chinese authorities.
Meanwhile, TikTok continues to operate freely in the U.S., where it boasts 170 million users. For now, the app remains online, caught between geopolitics, legal maneuvering, and the race to secure American ownership—while its users continue to scroll, swipe, and share uninterrupted.