U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to sign an executive order this week that will extend the deadline for TikTok’s Chinese owner to sell the popular social media app. This decision, announced by the White House late Tuesday, marks the third extension of the divestment timeline.
The initial executive order was issued on January 20, coinciding with Trump’s first day in office, following a brief suspension of the platform. This suspension was sanctioned by Congress and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. In early April, Trump prolonged TikTok’s operations for an additional 75 days after negotiations for an American acquisition of the app fell through.
China’s withdrawal from the deal came after the Trump administration had indicated that an agreement was nearly complete. The situation escalated following Trump’s announcement of global tariffs aimed at Chinese imports.
“As he has said many times, President Trump does not want TikTok to go dark,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated. “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.”
While speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One as he returned to Washington from the G7 summit in Canada, Trump mentioned that he would likely extend the deadline again. He expressed optimism that his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping would ultimately approve a deal for TikTok to divest its U.S. operations.
The future of TikTok remains uncertain as the administration continues its negotiations. TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, has become a significant platform, especially among younger users. Since joining TikTok last year, Trump has amassed over 15 million followers, attributing some of his popularity among younger voters to the app. In January, he remarked that he has a “warm spot for TikTok.”