In a move that marks the third delay of a potential TikTok ban, U.S. President Donald Trump is set to issue a fresh 90-day extension allowing the app to continue operating while it searches for a non-Chinese buyer, the White House confirmed on Tuesday.
Originally, a federal law mandating the sale or ban of TikTok on national security grounds was scheduled to take effect just before Trump’s January inauguration.
“President Trump will sign another Executive Order this week to keep TikTok live,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. “He’s made it clear, he doesn’t want TikTok to go dark. This 90-day window will allow more time to finalize a deal that protects American users’ data.”
Trump has expressed a fondness for the app, which played a significant role in energizing his 2024 election campaign. In an NBC interview in May, he remarked, “I have a little warm spot in my heart for TikTok. If it needs an extension, I’m willing to give one.”
TikTok at the Center of U.S.-China Tech Tensions
While Trump once supported banning or forcing a divestment of TikTok over its Chinese ties, he has softened his stance, particularly after realizing its influence among younger voters. Still, concerns over national security persist, with lawmakers warning that the app could be used for surveillance or propaganda by the Chinese government.
Analyst Rob Enderle noted, “Unless TikTok lands on Trump’s bad side, it’s probably safe for now.”
Shweta Singh, a tech scholar at Warwick Business School, described TikTok as a “symbol of the U.S.-China tech rivalry, a flashpoint in the ongoing digital Cold War.”
Negotiations and Unresolved Issues
Although ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, has initiated talks with the U.S. government, no final buyer has emerged. ByteDance said any agreement would require Chinese regulatory approval.
Proposed solutions include spinning off TikTok into an independent company, with major U.S. investors, such as Oracle and Blackstone, stepping in to reduce ByteDance’s ownership stake. Much of TikTok’s U.S. data is already hosted on Oracle’s servers.
Still, questions remain—especially around TikTok’s powerful recommendation algorithm. “Without its algorithm, TikTok is like Harry Potter without his wand,” said Kelsey Chickering, Principal Analyst at Forrester.
Business As Usual for TikTok
Despite the uncertainty, TikTok continues to expand. On Monday, it unveiled “Symphony,” a new suite of generative AI tools for advertisers to create video content from text or images.
Trump previously postponed the enforcement of the TikTok ban with two extensions—first for 75 days, and then until June 19. His latest 90-day delay pushes any action further into the future, offering TikTok more breathing room as negotiations continue..
