WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump has once more pushed back the looming ban on TikTok, granting the popular video-sharing platform another 90 days to continue operating in the U.S. The move marks the third time Trump has delayed the ban as talks continue between the app’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, and U.S. officials.
Earlier this week, Trump announced his intention to extend the deadline and made it official by signing an executive order on June 19. The decision provides ByteDance until September 17 to finalize a deal that meets U.S. national security requirements, specifically one that severs its ties to Chinese ownership.
The pressure on TikTok stems from bipartisan legislation passed during Joe Biden’s presidency, which mandated that TikTok either be sold to an American company or be banned entirely from U.S. app stores. Although Biden signed the measure into law, Trump—now back in office—has taken a different approach, instructing the Department of Justice not to enforce the ban and instead opting for executive orders to keep the app online.
Trump tasked Vice President JD Vance and former national security adviser Mike Waltz with overseeing efforts to negotiate a solution. Officials were reportedly close to reaching a deal in April, but progress stalled when Trump heightened trade tensions by increasing tariffs on Chinese imports. This shift in the economic landscape introduced new complexities to the ongoing TikTok talks.
While diplomatic relations between the U.S. and China have seen some improvement since then, a final agreement over TikTok remains elusive. It is unclear whether the topic was discussed during a June 5 phone call between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping—their first conversation since Trump’s return to office.
Trump, when questioned by reporters on June 17, expressed confidence in a positive outcome: “We probably have to get China approval. I think we’ll get it,” he said. “I think President Xi will ultimately approve it.”
TikTok continues to enjoy immense popularity in the U.S., with around 170 million users, a large portion of whom are younger Americans. Despite persistent concerns about data privacy and potential Chinese surveillance, Trump downplayed the risks.
“If China is going to get information about young kids, I don’t know,” he said. “To be honest with you, I think we have bigger problems than that.”
For now, TikTok remains in a legal limbo—caught between geopolitical tensions, evolving trade dynamics, and the ever-complicated politics of data privacy and national security. Whether the extended deadline will be enough time for a resolution remains to be seen.
