US President Donald Trump will issue a 90-day extension this week allowing TikTok to continue operating in the United States while it seeks a non-Chinese buyer, the White House confirmed on Tuesday, June 17.
This marks the third delay in enforcing a federal mandate that would have forced the app’s sale or ban on national security grounds.
The original deadline was set to take effect on January 19, just a day before Trump’s inauguration. The extension will give the administration additional time to secure a deal ensuring user data security, according to a statement by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
“President Trump will sign an additional Executive Order this week to keep TikTok up and running. As he has said many times, 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.”
Trump, who leaned heavily on social media during his 2024 election campaign, has publicly expressed a personal fondness for TikTok. “I have a little warm spot in my heart for TikTok,” he said in a May interview, adding that he would be open to an extension.
Despite long-standing national security concerns tied to TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, Trump has recently softened his stance. Analysts suggest his shift is politically motivated, pointing to TikTok’s influence among younger voters.
The platform has become a focal point in the broader US-China tech conflict, with concerns that TikTok’s data practices could serve the interests of the Chinese government. ByteDance has acknowledged ongoing talks with the US government, but has said any sale would require approval under Chinese law.
Proposals on the table reportedly involve transferring stakes held by existing US investors in ByteDance into a newly formed independent TikTok entity. Oracle and private equity firm Blackstone have been mentioned as potential stakeholders, and much of TikTok’s US data is already stored on Oracle’s servers.
Still, uncertainty remains over the platform’s future, particularly regarding its algorithm — a crucial component of TikTok’s success. Analysts warn that separating TikTok from its core technology could significantly diminish its value.
Despite the legal and political turmoil, TikTok continues to operate normally. On Monday, the platform unveiled a new suite of AI-powered tools for advertisers, called “Symphony,” allowing them to generate video content using text and images.
