TikTok Sale Deadline Extended: Trump Gives ByteDance More Time To Divest

This move marked the third delay in enforcing the congressionally mandated requirement, which initially demanded a sale or shutdown of the popular short video platform earlier this year.

With this extension, ByteDance now has until mid-September to either finalise a deal or make significant divestment progress.

Source : Freepik

The White House announced on Tuesday that US President Donald Trump will once again extend the deadline for China-based ByteDance to divest TikTok's US operations, giving the company an additional 90 days beyond the existing June 19 cutoff.

This move marked the third delay in enforcing the congressionally mandated requirement, which initially demanded a sale or shutdown of the popular short video platform earlier this year, reported Reuters.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the decision, stating, "President Trump will sign an additional executive order this week to keep TikTok up and running."

With this extension, ByteDance now has until mid-September to either finalise a deal or make significant divestment progress. Leavitt emphasised that the administration intends to use this time to ensure that any transaction adequately protects American users. "President Trump does not want TikTok to go dark," she said. The administration will spend the next three months making sure the sale closes so that Americans can keep using TikTok with the assurance that their data is safe and secure, she noted.

Political Calculations and International Negotiations

The decision to postpone enforcement comes after Trump publicly acknowledged in May that TikTok had played a role in helping him connect with younger voters during the 2024 election. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday, he signalled his openness to another extension, remarking, "Probably, yeah," when asked about the matter. Trump also indicated that further discussions with Beijing might be necessary, saying, "Probably have to get China approval but I think we'll get it. I think President Xi will ultimately approve it."

The legal framework underpinning the sale was clear: TikTok had until January 19 to cease US operations unless ByteDance completed the required divestiture or demonstrated substantial progress toward it. Despite the law’s mandate, Trump, who began his second term on January 20, chose not to enforce the shutdown and instead granted two prior extensions—first moving the deadline to April, and then to June 19.

Tariffs Complicate Negotiations as Legal Scrutiny Intensifies

Negotiations over TikTok’s future had made headway earlier this year, with plans to spin off the US operations into a separate, American-controlled entity, majority-owned and managed by US investors. However, talks stalled after China signalled its opposition to approving the deal, particularly after Trump imposed steep new tariffs on Chinese goods this spring. In March, Trump had suggested flexibility on trade issues, saying he would consider reducing tariffs to facilitate an agreement on TikTok's sale to a US entity.

The future of TikTok's US operations remains uncertain as legal, political, and international trade dynamics continue to shape the negotiations. For now, TikTok’s 170 million American users will be able to continue using the app as the administration navigates these complex challenges.