Hajra Naz
Even if the app’s U.S. operations are about to be sold, former President Donald Trump has once again left the door open for TikTok to stay in the country longer. Trump recently stated that if a sale isn’t completed, he might think about delaying the June 19 deadline in an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press. Trump acknowledged. Trump admitted.
“Maybe I shouldn’t say this, but I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for TikTok,”
Congress approved a law last year requiring ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent firm, to sell the app’s U.S. operations or risk a statewide ban. When that law was briefly put into effect in January, millions of American users were unable to access TikTok. Trump, however, stepped in and put a 90-day delay on the order. In April, ByteDance received a second extension, which gave them an additional seventy-five days to negotiate.
Trump has said he’s interested in seeing TikTok become part of a U.S.-based joint venture. However, the Chinese government must also approve any sale, and progress has stalled, particularly after China backed away from an almost-final deal following Trump’s announcement of new tariffs.
“We had a deal pretty much done,” Trump told reporters. “But once we hit China with tariffs, they walked away.”
Citing the need for additional time to complete the deal, Trump later declared on Truth Social that he would be signing an executive order to extend the deadline once more. He underlined that the purpose of the extension was to guarantee TikTok’s continuing operations in the United States over the course of the negotiations with ByteDance.
According to ByteDance, negotiations are still in progress, and any agreement would require Chinese legal permission. The business also disclosed that it was examining “possible solutions” for TikTok’s future in close collaboration with the US authorities.
Although recent events indicate more activity behind the scenes, ByteDance has publicly remained reticent about selling despite the growing pressure. At a Davos event, General Atlantic CEO Bill Ford, a board member and significant ByteDance investor, stated that he anticipates a deal to be finalized soon.
In the meantime, several significant American companies have expressed interest in purchasing TikTok. Oracle—already responsible for storing TikTok’s U.S. user data- remains a top contender, and Trump has openly said he’d like to see Oracle’s Larry Ellison take over. Other names reportedly in the mix include Microsoft, Walmart, Amazon, and Project Liberty, a group of investors backed by former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary.
Even YouTuber MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson) expressed interest, claiming he had met with billionaires and had a bid ready, though no formal deal has been made.
While some have floated Elon Musk as a possible buyer, the Tesla CEO has said he’s not interested, stating he doesn’t use the app and rarely acquires new companies.
TikTok’s fate has been hanging in the balance since President Biden signed the original law last April. The issue has drawn bipartisan concern in Washington, with many lawmakers citing national security risks tied to TikTok’s data practices under Chinese ownership. The Supreme Court upheld the law in January, but it also gave the president flexibility in how it’s enforced, leaving room for Trump to push deadlines as he sees fit.
For now, TikTok remains in limbo. Whether ByteDance finally agrees to a deal or Trump continues granting reprieves, the app’s long-term future in the U.S. remains uncertain, but the clock is ticking once again.
