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President Donald Trump on Thursday extended the TikTok sale deadline by 90 days, granting ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of the app, more time to find a U.S.-based buyer and avoid a ban under federal law.
“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 Truth Social.
This marks the third extension granted to ByteDance, whose short-form video app has come under intense scrutiny over national security concerns. The extension delays the enforcement of a law first passed under President Joe Biden, which mandates a divestiture or an effective ban on TikTok’s operations in the U.S.
White House Signals Support for TikTok Users
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration remains committed to keeping the platform active while ensuring American user data is protected.
“President Trump does not want TikTok to go dark,” Leavitt said. “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.”
TikTok, which claims over 170 million U.S. users and 7.5 million American businesses on the platform, responded with praise for Trump’s actions.
“We are grateful for President Trump’s leadership and support,” TikTok said in a statement. “We continue to work with Vice President JD Vance’s Office as we move toward a solution.”
ByteDance Still Weighing Offers as Pressure Mounts
While ByteDance has publicly resisted the idea of a forced sale, pressure from the U.S. Supreme Court, which upheld the TikTok divest-or-ban law, leaves the company little room to maneuver. So far, no deal has been finalized, despite several high-profile bids.
Interested buyers have included:
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Amazon, which submitted a late-stage offer,
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A team led by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and billionaire Frank McCourt,
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Perplexity AI, a rising AI search engine startup,
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And Steven Mnuchin, Trump’s former treasury secretary.
ByteDance has not commented publicly on whether any of these bids are under active consideration.
A Dramatic Reversal from Trump’s First Term
The move to extend TikTok’s U.S. presence marks a significant policy shift from Trump’s first term, during which he signed an executive order banning the app outright. That order was later blocked by federal courts.
Still, Trump now appears focused on securing a controlled sale rather than a ban, even praising Chinese President Xi Jinping aboard Air Force One on Wednesday, saying he believes Xi “would sign off on a deal” if a buyer emerges.
Users Return, but Future Remains Uncertain
The law banning TikTok passed under Biden briefly forced the app offline in early 2025. But after Trump took office and signaled a more moderate approach, TikTok resumed operations — and saw users flock back. Interest in RedNote, a Chinese alternative that had surged during the ban, has since waned.
Despite user enthusiasm, ByteDance faces a clear ultimatum: Sell the app or lose access to the U.S. market. The 90-day countdown is once again ticking — and the future of TikTok in America hangs in the balance.
