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President Donald Trump will grant TikTok a third 90-day reprieve from a congressional ban, pushing the deadline to mid-September while his administration works to broker a sale of the Chinese-owned app to American buyers.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Tuesday that Trump plans to sign an executive order this week extending the June 19 deadline. “President Trump does not want TikTok to go dark,” she said.
The move marks a remarkable political about-face. Trump initially championed TikTok’s banishment during his first presidency, citing national security concerns. Now he’s become the app’s most powerful protector.
“We’re going to probably make a deal,” Trump told reporters Wednesday at the White House. “I think we’ll need China’s blessing on it.”
The president’s change of heart stems partly from TikTok’s role in his success in the 2024 campaign. The app helped him connect with younger voters, creating what he called “a little warm spot in my heart for TikTok” during a recent NBC interview.
But politics aren’t driving this decision alone. TikTok has become a valuable bargaining chip in tense trade negotiations with China.
The latest extension follows an agreement reached last week between U.S. and Chinese officials on a framework to ease export controls between the two nations. Trump’s TikTok delays appear tied to these broader diplomatic efforts.
Congress passed the sale-or-ban law with overwhelming bipartisan support last year, demanding ByteDance divest TikTok’s American operations or face a nationwide shutdown. The legislation reflected lawmakers’ fears that China could use the app to spy on or influence America’s 170 million TikTok users.
Legal experts question Trump’s authority to keep extending the deadline. The law permits only one 90-day extension, and only if “significant progress” toward a sale can be demonstrated.
“Once again, the Trump administration is flouting the law and ignoring its own national security findings about the risks posed by a [China]-controlled TikTok,” said Sen. Mark Warner, vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Trump’s legal justification remains murky. He’s essentially instructing the Justice Department not to enforce a congressional mandate, creating uncertainty for companies like Apple and Google that host the app.
A potential deal nearly materialized in April. The agreement would have transferred majority control to American investors while allowing ByteDance to retain a 20% stake. Oracle, Blackstone, and venture capital giant Andreessen Horowitz led the consortium.
That arrangement collapsed when Trump announced new tariffs on China. Beijing withdrew its approval, forcing another extension.
Other bidders remain interested, including real estate mogul Frank McCourt, Amazon, and a group featuring YouTube star MrBeast. However, any deal requires the approval of both American investors and the Chinese government.
The clock keeps ticking toward September’s new deadline. Whether Trump can broker the complex international agreement he promises remains uncertain.
For now, TikTok’s 170 million American users can keep scrolling. The app that Trump once tried to kill has found an unexpected champion in its former foe.
