Trump Delays TikTok Ban Deadline Again, Extending App's Lifeline

The Trump administration continues to navigate the complexities surrounding TikTok's fate in the U.S., granting yet another extension for the video app's potential sale or ban.

TikTok will remain operational in the United States for at least another 90 days, thanks to President Donald Trump signing a new Executive Order this week. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the decision Tuesday, marking the third extension of its kind since the beginning of the year. The Chinese company ByteDance, which owns TikTok, had previously refused to sell the app by the January deadline levied by the Trump administration.

Leavitt assured the public that the extension aims to provide a secure deal, allowing users to continue enjoying TikTok while keeping their data safe. “This extension will ensure this deal is closed so that the American people can continue to use TikTok with assurance,” she stated. Earlier, Trump had hinted at the possibility of a deadline extension during an interview with the BBC, expressing optimism that Chinese President Xi could approve an eventual deal.

The decision also seems to contradict Congress's earlier directive passed last year, which mandated a sale or ban of TikTok and was put in place to mitigate national security threats posed by its Chinese ownership. The law raised alarms over potential espionage and political manipulation due to TikTok's vast user base of 170 million Americans. The Supreme Court had upheld this law in a ruling before Trump took office, yet TikTok briefly went offline for a few hours before the inauguration.

Despite previous efforts to force a sale back in 2020, Trump's latest remarks suggest a more favorable view of TikTok than in the past. He noted in December that he appreciated the app's role in boosting his popularity among younger voters during the previous election cycle. Experts have commented that Trump’s repeated extensions of deadlines may signal a lack of urgency for a ban, with one analyst dismissing the potential of any imminent prohibition.

Observers remember that a deal to transfer majority control of TikTok's U.S. operations to American ownership has been rumored, but progress has stalled, with announcements of key issues remaining unresolved, especially under Chinese regulations. Interested bidders for TikTok have emerged from various sectors, including tech moguls like Oracle's Larry Ellison and social media influencer MrBeast, suggesting a lively competition for potential ownership.

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