U.S. President Donald Trump has extended the deadline for China-based ByteDance to divest its U.S. operations of TikTok by an additional 75 days.
Trump announced the extension on Friday via a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, attributing the decision to the need for further regulatory approvals.
“My Administration has been working very hard on a Deal to SAVE TIKTOK, and we have made tremendous progress.
The Deal requires more work to ensure all necessary approvals are signed, which is why I am signing an Executive Order to keep TikTok up and running for an additional 75 days,” Trump stated.
He also emphasized his administration’s commitment to negotiating trade policies with China.
“We hope to continue working in Good Faith with China, who I understand are not very happy about our Reciprocal Tariffs (Necessary for Fair and Balanced Trade between China and the U.S.A.!),” he said.
Backstory
The demand for TikTok’s divestment stems from fears that ByteDance, a Chinese company, is influenced by the Chinese government. U.S. lawmakers have expressed concerns that TikTok could be used for data collection and influence operations.
- Initially, the law required ByteDance to sell TikTok by January 19, 2025, one day before President Donald Trump took office.
- As the deadline approached, Apple and Google removed TikTok from their app stores, and the platform temporarily shut down for American users.
- However, Trump delayed the enforcement of the law until April 5, 2025, to allow more time for negotiations. He has also suggested that he might extend the deadline further if necessary
TikTok resumed operations, returning to the Apple App Store and Google Play in February after Trump signaled his intent to extend the deadline.
Chinese approval still required
Despite Trump’s extension, the deal remains contingent on approval from the Chinese government.
In his post, Trump reiterated his stance on trade tariffs and national security concerns, stating,
“This proves that Tariffs are the most powerful Economic tool, and very important to our National Security! We do not want TikTok to ‘go dark.’
We look forward to working with TikTok and China to close the Deal. Thank you for your attention to this matter!,” he said.
Trump also signed a sweeping “reciprocal tariff” policy at the White House, imposing a 34% tariff rate on China. With existing 20% tariffs, the combined tariff rate on Chinese imports now stands at 54%.
Tiktok bidders
Several companies have expressed interest in acquiring TikTok’s U.S. operations as the April 5 deadline draws near. Nairametrics reported that Amazon submitted a last-minute offer, while a consortium led by OnlyFans founder Tim Stokely has also entered the race.
- Stokely’s startup, Zoop, partnered with the HBAR Foundation to submit a late-stage bid to the White House.
- In March, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian declared his support for the initiative.
- Additionally, artificial intelligence startup Perplexity proposed a merger with TikTok’s U.S. arm, and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz is reportedly in talks to provide external funding for a bid led by Oracle and other U.S. investors.
Other notable contenders include “The People’s Bid for TikTok,” an initiative backed by billionaire Frank McCourt’s Project Liberty, and a consortium featuring YouTube personality MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson).
