U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated he would likely approve another extension of the deadline for China-based ByteDance to divest the American assets of its popular short video app, TikTok. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday, Trump suggested a fresh delay was probable, citing the app’s political impact and the need for Chinese government approval.
This marks a third potential reprieve for TikTok, which faced a congressionally mandated ban earlier this year. The law, passed during Trump’s first term, required ByteDance to sell off TikTok’s U.S. assets or face a shutdown by January 19. But Trump, who began his second term on January 20, chose not to enforce the measure and instead extended the deadline first to April, and later to June 19.
Trump credited TikTok with helping him make inroads with younger voters during the 2024 election campaign, saying this influenced his leniency. “Probably, yeah,” he said when asked about a further extension. “Probably have to get China approval but I think we’ll get it. I think President Xi will ultimately approve it.” His comments reflect the complex intersection of politics, diplomacy, and digital policy shaping the app’s fate.
Efforts to broker a deal earlier this year to restructure TikTok into a U.S.-majority-owned company were derailed after Beijing reacted strongly to Trump’s imposition of steep tariffs on Chinese imports. China’s resistance to approving the divestiture has added another layer of uncertainty, even as talks between ByteDance and American investors reportedly continue behind the scenes.
Meanwhile, critics in Congress—particularly among Senate Democrats—have questioned the legal basis for Trump’s repeated extensions. They argue that the proposed restructuring may fall short of statutory requirements and insist the president lacks the authority to override the original deadline indefinitely. With geopolitical tensions still simmering, TikTok’s future in the U.S. remains in limbo.