US President Donald Trump on Thursday prolonged to September 17 a deadline for China-based ByteDance to divest the US property of short-video app TikTok regardless of a regulation that mandated a sale or shutdown with out vital progress.
Trump signed an govt order pushing again Thursday’s deadline for 90 days, a step he had beforehand signaled.
The Republican president had already twice granted a reprieve from federal enforcement of a regulation that mandated the sale or shutdown of TikTok that was speculated to take impact in January, absent vital progress towards a sale.
Trump has stated he desires to maintain the app, which helped him woo younger voters within the 2024 presidential election, lively within the US.
He has additionally expressed optimism that Chinese language President Xi Jinping would approve a deal that preserves the app, although it’s unclear how considerably the subject has featured within the two nations’ ongoing talks to resolve a tariff dispute.
“We’re grateful for President Trump’s management and assist in guaranteeing that TikTok continues to be accessible,” TikTok stated in a press release posted on its web site.
The corporate stated it’s persevering with to work with US Vice President JD Vance’s workplace on the matter.
“It is extra time; extra time to make a great deal,” White Home spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt informed reporters at a briefing on Thursday. She added that White Home legal professionals and the Division of Justice believed the extension was on sturdy authorized footing.
Leavitt stated on Tuesday that, “President Trump doesn’t need TikTok to go darkish,” and added the administration would spend the following three months ensuring the sale closes and protects US customers’ information.
Trump had stated on Tuesday he would “in all probability” prolong the deadline. “In all probability must get China approval, however I feel we’ll get it,” he informed reporters aboard Air Drive One. “I feel President Xi will finally approve it.”
A 2024 regulation required TikTok to cease working by January 19 except TikTok’s Chinese language mum or dad ByteDance had accomplished divesting the app’s US property or demonstrated vital progress towards a sale.
Trump started his second time period as president on January 20 and opted to not implement the regulation. He first prolonged the deadline to early April, after which once more final month to June 19.
In March, Trump stated he could be prepared to scale back tariffs on China to get a deal accomplished with ByteDance to promote the short-video app utilized by 170 million People.
A deal had been within the works this spring that might spin off TikTok’s US operations into a brand new US-based agency, majority-owned and operated by US buyers, but it surely was placed on maintain after China indicated it might not approve it following Trump’s bulletins of steep tariffs on Chinese language items.
Some Democratic lawmakers argue that Trump has no authorized authority to increase the deadline and counsel that the deal into consideration wouldn’t meet authorized necessities.
© Thomson Reuters 2025
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