President Donald Trump has announced a 75-day extension on the enforcement of the TikTok ban, allowing more time for negotiations to secure a deal that would keep the app operational in the United States.
The decision was made just one day before the ban was set to take effect.
Trump stated that his administration has been working hard to finalize a deal that would allow TikTok to continue operating while addressing national security concerns. The law requiring the app’s China-based parent company, ByteDance, to sell its U.S. operations or face a ban was originally signed by former President Joe Biden last year. Trump initially delayed the enforcement in January and has now extended it again.
Discussions have focused on a potential agreement where Oracle and other U.S. investors would acquire a majority stake in TikTok’s American operations, leaving ByteDance with a minority share. However, the final terms of the deal are still being negotiated.
With 170 million U.S. users, TikTok remains a significant player in the social media landscape. The latest delay ensures that users can continue accessing the platform, but uncertainty looms over its long-term future. ByteDance and the Chinese government have not signaled a willingness to sell, and ongoing tensions between the U.S. and China over tariffs could further complicate the negotiations.
Congress has previously supported bipartisan efforts to ban TikTok over security risks, with the Supreme Court backing concerns over data privacy and potential foreign influence. Under the terms of the law, ByteDance must reduce its ownership to below 20% and cannot coordinate with TikTok’s U.S. operations on data management or algorithms.
TikTok briefly went offline in the U.S. before Inauguration Day, only to return with a message thanking Trump for delaying the ban. CEO Shou Chew was also present at Trump’s inauguration, seated alongside other tech executives and cabinet officials.
While Trump insists on working with China to reach a favorable agreement, it remains unclear whether Beijing will cooperate. For now, TikTok users in the U.S. have been granted a temporary reprieve, but the platform’s fate is still uncertain.