President Donald Trump’s administration is expected to extend the September 17 deadline for China’s ByteDance to divest TikTok’s U.S. assets or shut down the popular short-video app, according to a Reuters report citing a source familiar with the matter.
This would mark the fourth extension granted by Trump since retaking office in January, following previous delays that moved the original congressional deadline to April, then May, June, and now potentially beyond September.
Newsweek has reached out to the White House via email on Saturday for comment.
Why It Matters
The president’s stance on TikTok has evolved. During his first term, he signed executive orders to ban the app, which were later blocked by courts. His change in position followed meetings with American investors and public acknowledgment of TikTok’s role in his political outreach to young voters during last year’s election.
Despite congressional mandates requiring ByteDance to sell its U.S. operations or face a ban, the continued delays signal the Trump administration’s reluctance to shut down an app used by approximately 170 million Americans.
The administration’s August launch of an official White House TikTok account further underscores the platform’s strategic importance for political communication.
What To Know
TikTok’s uncertain status stems from longstanding concerns about Beijing’s potential ability to use the platform for surveillance, blackmail, or censorship of Americans. The app faces a federal sell-or-ban law enacted by Congress that originally required ByteDance to divest U.S. operations by January 2025.
Any potential sale faces significant technical and political hurdles, particularly regarding TikTok’s proprietary algorithm, which would require Beijing’s approval to share with U.S. buyers.
A previous deal framework would have created a new U.S.-based company majority-owned by American investors, but progress stalled after China indicated it would not approve the arrangement following Trump’s tariff announcements.
The expected extension comes as U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer engage in trade talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Spain where TikTok has been included as an official agenda item for the first time in bilateral negotiations, Reuters reported. The meeting in Spain follows previous rounds in Geneva, London, and Stockholm where the app was not discussed.
This development provides the Trump administration with political cover for another extension, sources told Reuters.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump wrote in June on Truth Social: “I’ve just signed the executive order extending the deadline for the TikTok closing by 90 days (September 17, 2025). Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an August statement: “The Trump administration is committed to communicating the historic successes President Trump has delivered to the American people with as many audiences and platforms as possible.”
Trump’s then-national security adviser Mike Waltz said in January: “…President Trump has been very clear: Number one, TikTok is a great platform that many Americans use and has been great for his campaign and getting his message out. But number two, he’s going to protect their data.”
What Happens Next?
The administration faces mounting pressure to either finalize a divestment arrangement or provide a clear justification for indefinite delays.
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