Trump delays TikTok ban in US for third time, signs order for 90 days reprieve

Trump’s first executive order on TikTok was issued on his first day back in office, just three days after the US Supreme Court upheld the federal ban. He followed up with a second order in April, extending the deadline to 19 June. With this latest move, TikTok now has until September to secure a sale or risk being banned from operating in the country.

TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, stated in April that it had been in ongoing discussions with the US government. “Any agreement,” the company said, “will be subject to approval under Chinese law.”

Before Trump’s second executive order on TikTok in April, a potential deal had reportedly been on the table. However, Reuters reported that China stalled the deal after Trump announced sweeping tariffs against Chinese imports.

Trump appeared to confirm the use of trade pressure to influence the TikTok negotiations: “We have a situation with TikTok where China will probably say we’ll approve a deal, but will you do something on the tariffs. The tariffs give us great power to negotiate,” he said.

Trump first raised concerns about TikTok in 2020, citing national security risks due to the app’s Chinese ownership. The issue gained bipartisan support, with Congress overwhelmingly voting to ban the platform last year. Although the legislation faced legal challenges, the ban was ultimately upheld by the US Supreme Court. The original deadline for TikTok’s sale or ban had been set for 19 January.

Despite once labelling TikTok a security threat, Trump dramatically shifted his stance last year after joining the app during his presidential campaign. He quickly gained nearly 15 million followers and even hosted TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew at his Mar-a-Lago estate. Chew later attended Trump’s inauguration.

As pressure builds to reach a resolution, multiple US-based investors are eyeing a deal to acquire TikTok. Interested parties reportedly include a consortium led by Oracle, investment firms like Blackstone, retail giants Amazon and Walmart, billionaire Frank McCourt, a crypto foundation, and even the founder of the adult content platform OnlyFans.