Trump Delays TikTok Ban By 90 Days — New Deadline Looms For US Ownership Deal

President Donald Trump has again extended the deadline for TikTok to comply with a rule requiring the company to divest its local operations or face a ban in the United States.

"I've just signed the Executive Order extending the Deadline for the TikTok closing for 90 days (Sept.17, 2025). Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Trump said on Truth Social on Thursday.

The move comes weeks after the U.S. and China struck a deal to temporarily lower the additional tariffs on either side as they work towards a more permanent trade agreement. The latest move indicates that Trump's team could be using TikTok as a bargaining chip with China.

Trump told reporters on Wednesday that he believed Chinese President Xi Jinping would be amenable to a deal to sell TikTok. As per the rules, Beijing has to sign off on the deal. A potential buyer for TikTok's U.S. operations hasn't been formally announced yet.

"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," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

TikTok said in a statement: "We are grateful for President Trump's leadership and support in ensuring that TikTok continues to be available for more than 170 million American users and 7.5 million U.S. businesses that rely on the platform as we continue to work with Vice President [JD] Vance's Office."

The law, which requires TikTok to sell local operations, was passed during the Biden administration, and the U.S. Supreme Court upheld its validity in a decision just days before Trump took office in January. Trump first offered a 45-day extension to implement the ban and then extended it again in April.

As of late Wednesday, the retail sentiment for TikTok’s chief competitor, Meta Platforms Inc. (META), the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, was ‘bullish.’ 

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