Trump Grants TikTok Another Lifeline with Deadline Extension

TikTok isn’t going anywhere just yet. President Donald Trump has decided to give the app another 90-day extension, allowing ByteDance more time to make a deal. This marks the third extension since Trump returned to office this year.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the move. She said the new executive order will be signed this week, keeping TikTok up and running in the U.S. for now. The popular app was facing a ban after ByteDance missed the deadline to sell its American operations to a U.S. company.

Trump hinted earlier in the day that an extension was likely. “We’ll probably have to get China approval,” he told the BBC. “I think President Xi will ultimately approve it.”

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Legal Confusion and Political Tensions

This latest extension contradicts a law signed by former President Joe Biden, which demanded a sale or ban of TikTok. That law was backed by Congress and upheld by the Supreme Court. But Trump seems to be leaning more on executive orders and less on congressional intent.

Leavitt said the move is about protecting American users and their data. But it’s also no secret that Trump has grown fond of the platform. He even credited it for helping him win the 2024 election, claiming, “I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok.”

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Buyers and Bidders in the Mix

While ByteDance continues to drag its feet, U.S.-based buyers are still circling. Oracle has been in the mix, backed by Trump ally Larry Ellison. Other names include Kevin O’Leary, Frank McCourt, and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Even MrBeast, the biggest YouTuber in the world, has thrown his name into the ring with an investor group.

For now, TikTok remains online and booming, even launching new AI tools during Cannes. Analysts like Kelsey Chickering believe talk of a ban is mostly noise. TikTok seems more confident than ever.