Following weeks of speculation, US President Donald Trump has issued another 90-day reprieve for TikTok. Trump has further postponed the enforcement of a law that would force the company to sell its US operations or face a ban in the market.
The latest extension pushes ByteDance’s deadline to September 17, 2025, according to the executive order signed by Trump on Thursday (June 19).
“During this period, the Department of Justice shall take no action to enforce the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act… or impose any penalties against any entity for any noncompliance with the Act, including for distributing, maintaining, or updating (or enabling the distribution, maintenance, or updating) of any foreign adversary controlled application as defined in the Act,” the order said.
This marks the third extension for TikTok since Trump took office in January, further stretching a mandate by former US President Joe Biden that originally required ByteDance to divest its TikTok operations in the US to avoid being shut down by January 19, 2025.
“During this period, the Department of Justice shall take no action to enforce the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act… or impose any penalties against any entity for any noncompliance with the Act.”
Trump’s executive order
In response to the latest EO, TikTok said: “We are grateful for President Trump’s leadership and support in ensuring that TikTok continues to be available for more than 170 million American users and 7.5 million US businesses that rely on the platform as we continue to work with Vice President Vance’s Office,” as reported by the Associated Press.
Last week before Trump signed the new EO, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to multiple news outlets that: “President Trump does not want TikTok to go dark. This extension will last 90 days, which the Administration will spend working to ensure this deal is closed so that the American people can continue to use TikTok with the assurance that their data is safe and secure.”
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday (June 17) about a potential deal for TikTok, Trump said: “Probably have to get China approval but I think we’ll get it. I think President Xi [Jinping] will ultimately approve it,” Reuters reported.
On January 18, TikTok went offline for over 170 million US users ahead of the first deadline after the Supreme Court upheld the law. Google and Apple also removed TikTok from their app stores to comply with the law.
However, less than 24 hours after TikTok switched off its service, the platform restored its service on January 19 after Trump provided the “necessary clarity and assurances” to its service providers. Trump took oath as president the following day.
ByteDance now has until September 17 to find a buyer for its TikTok business in the US or risk being banned from operating in the country. Among the reported buyers of the business are Amazon, Oracle, and a group including Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, billionaire Frank McCourt, and Employer.com founder Jesse Tinsley, who are reportedly in the running. Even Tim Stokely, the founder of OnlyFans, has thrown his hat in the ring with his new startup Zoop.
Trump had previously suggested that Elon Musk was eyeing the platform. However, Musk shot down that speculation in February, saying, “I have not put in a bid for TikTok. I don’t have any plans for what I would do if I had TikTok”.
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