In a last-minute decision, President Donald Trump has issued an executive order granting TikTok a 75-day extension, delaying a previously scheduled ban and allowing more time to secure a U.S.-based ownership deal. The announcement came Friday via Trump’s Truth Social account, offering a temporary lifeline to the popular video-sharing app.
The extension is meant to give negotiators time to complete and approve a deal that satisfies national security concerns and regulatory requirements.
“We’ve made solid progress on securing TikTok’s future in the U.S.,” Trump wrote. “But we need a bit more time to lock in the final terms. That’s why I’ve signed an order to extend TikTok’s operating window by another 75 days.”
A Ban Postponed – Again
This is the second time the Biden-era TikTok divestment law has seen its deadline shifted. Initially, ByteDance was given until January 19 to resolve national security concerns by divesting its U.S. operations. Trump, however, signed a new executive order on his first day back in office, effectively restarting the countdown.
The short video platform had even been briefly removed from major app stores in anticipation of a shutdown, only to return once the extension was confirmed.
Deal Talks Gain Momentum
Sources familiar with the negotiations say that a group of high-profile American investors has submitted a frontrunner proposal to take over TikTok’s U.S. assets. The consortium reportedly includes Oracle, Blackstone, and Andreessen Horowitz. Other major players said to be in the mix include Amazon, Walmart, AppLovin, and billionaire Frank McCourt’s Project Liberty initiative.
While the U.S. government is keen on completing a deal, China’s approval is still a wildcard. ByteDance, for its part, has remained reluctant to give up ownership or significantly dilute its stake, making the negotiations even more complex.
Global Tensions Add Pressure
The TikTok talks are unfolding against a broader backdrop of escalating trade tensions. Earlier this week, Trump introduced sweeping tariffs on Chinese imports, a move Beijing quickly answered with its own set of levies on U.S. goods.
In his post, Trump hinted that tariffs might be leveraged to nudge the TikTok deal forward:
“Our tariffs are working as a critical tool for fair trade—and national security,” he wrote. “We hope China will continue to engage with us in good faith as we work toward a TikTok resolution.”
What’s Next?
With a new 75-day window now in place, all eyes are on ByteDance and its potential U.S. partners to hammer out an agreement that satisfies both Washington and Beijing.
Whether TikTok remains a staple of American screens or gets lost in geopolitical crossfire will depend on how the next few weeks unfold.
