By 
Donald Trump has granted a 90-day extension to ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, to sell its U.S. operations or face a nationwide ban.
The new deadline pushes the divestment date to mid-September, offering TikTok a third reprieve despite a law that mandated a sale or shutdown by June 19. The extension comes under a new executive order that President Trump is expected to sign this week.
TikTok, which has 170 million U.S. users, has been under pressure from U.S. lawmakers who argue that its Chinese ownership poses national security risks, including potential access to personal data and content manipulation by the Chinese government.
By Ruvarashe Gora
Congress passed legislation in 2024 requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok or shut it down. The law allows only one 90-day extension, which has already been granted. Trump’s latest move raises legal questions about whether repeated delays are permitted under the statute.
Despite the legal concerns, the White House said the delay is aimed at allowing more time for negotiations with potential U.S. buyers. Previous talks involving Oracle and Walmart failed to result in a deal. New interested parties reportedly include Amazon and Perplexity AI.
President Trump, who has a large following on TikTok, has previously said the platform plays a key role in reaching young voters. He also expressed confidence that a deal will be approved by Chinese authorities.
TikTok’s future in the U.S. remains uncertain as legal, diplomatic, and commercial efforts continue ahead of the new deadline.
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