President Donald Trump has signed an executive order extending the deadline for TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell the platform to an American owner by another 90 days, pushing the date to September 17, 2025.
This third extension allows the popular short-form video app to continue its operations in the United States amid ongoing discussions about data security and ownership.
“I’ve just signed the Executive Order extending the Deadline for the TikTok closing for 90 days (September 17, 2025). Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump announced on his social media platform, Truth Social.
Following the announcement, TikTok expressed gratitude for President Trump’s leadership in facilitating the app’s continued availability for its 170 million American users and 7.5 million U.S. businesses dependent on the platform.
A statement from TikTok highlighted their commitment to collaborating with Vice President JD Vance’s Office regarding the ongoing sale discussions.
While aboard Air Force One, President Trump expressed optimism that Chinese President Xi Jinping would be open to a deal regarding the app’s sale.
Trump emphasized that Xi’s approval would be necessary for any potential buyer to finalize a deal, given ByteDance’s headquarters in Beijing.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the Trump administration’s objective is to ensure that Americans can continue accessing TikTok.
“As he has said many times, President Trump does not want TikTok to go dark. 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,” she remarked.
Despite safety concerns raised last year, a recent Pew Research Center survey indicated a decline in support for banning TikTok among Americans.
After a law aimed at banning TikTok over national security concerns was enacted during the Biden administration, the app temporarily went offline prior to Trump’s inauguration.
However, once Trump hinted at maintaining TikTok’s operation in the U.S., it was restored and has remained active.
TikTok has consistently denied any security threats it may pose, asserting that American user data is not stored in China.
The initial TikTok ban led to a surge of American users migrating to the Chinese social media app RedNote, with many expressing indifference toward the potential for Chinese data access.
With the extension granted to TikTok, users have seemingly returned to the app, resulting in a decrease in RedNote’s popularity.
During his presidency, Trump initially mandated ByteDance to find a U.S.-based buyer within a set timeframe.
The first extension, granting 75 days for the sale, ended on April 5, 2025.
As that deadline approached, several potential buyers, including Amazon, expressed interest in acquiring TikTok.
Other interested parties included Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, billionaire investor Frank McCourt, and Steven Mnuchin, who served as treasury secretary during Trump’s first term.
Despite optimism from Trump’s top officials regarding the app’s sale, negotiations were complicated by new tariffs imposed on China, halting progress toward a deal.
Trump subsequently issued another 90-day extension, which was set to expire recently.
Under existing U.S. law, ByteDance is required to sell TikTok to a U.S. buyer, although the company has been non-committal on any potential deal.
This recent move marks a significant shift from Trump’s earlier stance during his first term, when he signed an executive order to ban the app, a directive that was later blocked by the courts.
image source from：nbcnews
