U.S. president Donald Trump on June 19 extended the deadline for China-based ByteDance to divest the U.S. assets of its short-video app TikTok to September 17, despite a law mandating a sale or shutdown without significant progress.
Trump signed an executive order pushing back June 19’s deadline by 90 days, a move he had previously signaled. The 2024 law had required TikTok to stop operating by January 19 unless ByteDance had either completed a sale of TikTok’s U.S. assets or made substantial progress toward doing so.
The president had already granted two prior extensions — first to early April, and then again to June 19. Trump began his second term on January 20 and chose not to enforce the law at that time.
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Keeping TikTok live in the U.S.
Trump has said he wants to keep TikTok active in the U.S., crediting the app with helping him connect with younger voters during the 2024 presidential election.
He has also expressed optimism that Chinese president Xi Jinping would approve a deal preserving the app’s presence in the U.S., though it remains unclear how central the issue is in broader U.S.-China trade talks.
“Probably have to get China approval, but I think we’ll get it,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on June 19. “I think president Xi will ultimately approve it.”
TikTok welcomed the move in a statement posted on its website: “We are grateful for president Trump’s leadership and support in ensuring that TikTok continues to be available.”
The company also said it is continuing to work with U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s office on the issue.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday, “It’s more time; more time to make a good deal.” She said White House lawyers and the Department of Justice believed the extension was on strong legal footing.
Leavitt reiterated earlier in the week that “President Trump does not want TikTok to go dark,” adding that the administration would use the next three months to ensure the sale closes in a way that protects U.S. consumer data.
Challenges ahead
This spring, a deal had been in development to spin off TikTok’s U.S. operations into a new company controlled by U.S. investors. However, that proposal was put on hold after China signaled opposition, especially following Trump’s announcement of steep tariffs on Chinese goods.
In March, Trump indicated he would be open to reducing tariffs on China to help facilitate the sale of the popular video app.
Some Democratic lawmakers have criticized Trump’s actions, arguing he lacks the legal authority to extend the deadline and questioning whether the proposed deal would meet the legal requirements laid out in the 2024 law.
ByteDance: The company that created TikTok
TikTok was launched on the international market in 2017. The platform is owned by ByteDance, a tech company based in Beijing. ByteDance is also responsible for developing other popular apps such as Toutiao, CapCut, and Lemon8.
In 2024, ByteDance was the world’s most valuable unicorn, with a valuation of $220 billion, according to figures from Statista.
While many mainstream social media platforms have faced challenges in maintaining growth, ByteDance reported revenues of $73 billion in the first quarter of 2024 — an increase of 35 percent compared to the same period in 2023.
