TikTok Deadline Pushed Again as Trump Banks on China’s Approval

President Donald Trump has signalled his intention to grant ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, a third extension to finalise the sale of its US operations.

Speaking aboard Air Force One on Tuesday, Trump maintained that the sale would ultimately proceed and expressed confidence that Chinese President Xi Jinping would approve the deal.

When asked about extending the deadline beyond 19 June, Trump stated:

“Probably, yeah. Probably have to get China approval but I think we’ll get it. I think President Xi will ultimately approve it.”

This marks a notable evolution from Trump’s earlier position.

During his first term, he called for a full ban on TikTok, citing concerns raised by US intelligence agencies and lawmakers that the app could be harvesting sensitive user data for the Chinese Communist Party.

These fears led to bipartisan efforts culminating in a 2024 law—signed by then-President Joe Biden—that mandated ByteDance either divest TikTok or face removal from US app stores and cloud services.

But Trump’s stance appeared to shift following the 2024 election.

After analysts credited TikTok with helping him regain traction among younger voters—many of whom had distanced themselves from him in 2020—Trump softened his rhetoric.

By his January inauguration, he had even invited TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew to attend the swearing-in alongside major tech leaders like Apple’s Tim Cook, Google’s Sundar Pichai, and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg.

In an NBC interview in May, Trump explained:

“I have a little warm spot in my heart for TikTok.”

Now, Trump has left the door open for additional time to allow ByteDance to close a deal:

“If it needs an extension, I would be willing to give it an extension.”

No Clear Answers Yet as Decision Delays Stir Investment Speculation

The first enforcement action against TikTok occurred just before President Trump’s inauguration on 19 January, when the app experienced a temporary outage.

In the months that followed, Trump issued an executive order in April granting a deadline extension for ByteDance to divest TikTok, followed by yet another postponement.

The most recent deadline was set to lapse on 19 June—until Trump’s latest remarks signaled that another delay may be on the horizon.

According to independent analyst Rob Enderle, Trump appears reluctant to escalate tensions with TikTok unless directly challenged:

“The president is just not motivated to do anything about TikTok. Unless they get on his bad side, TikTok is probably going to be in pretty good shape.”

But the president’s willingness to extend deadlines has sparked criticism, with some suggesting his motivations are more political than procedural.

Prior to 2025, Trump maintained a combative relationship with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

He publicly positioned TikTok as a necessary “counterbalance” to what he called the “fake news” propagated on Meta’s platforms.

Following the Capitol riot on 6 January 2021, Trump was banned from Facebook and Instagram—an action that reportedly fuelled a desire for retribution.

That standoff culminated in a lawsuit filed by Trump against Meta, which the company later settled for $25 million.

Against that backdrop, critics argue that Trump’s softened stance toward TikTok reflects not just policy recalibration, but a strategic move within the broader media power struggle.

National Security Fears and Legal Setbacks Cloud TikTok’s Future

In December, TikTok challenged the legislation requiring its divestment before the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

Despite the company’s efforts, the court ruled in favour of the US government, affirming concerns that TikTok poses potential national security risks.

Lawmakers and intelligence officials have consistently warned that Beijing could leverage the platform to spread propaganda or collect sensitive user data.

While concrete evidence has not been publicly disclosed, persistent fears remain that this data might be exploited for surveillance or even blackmail.

Adding complexity to the situation, Beijing was initially willing to approve a divestment deal.

However, this willingness reportedly waned after President Trump reintroduced tariffs on Chinese goods in April, complicating negotiations and casting further uncertainty over TikTok’s future in the US.