Trump Likely to Extend TikTok Deadline Amid U.S.-China Trade Talks

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to once again extend the September 17 deadline for ByteDance to divest TikTok’s U.S. assets, Reuters reported Sunday. This would mark the fourth extension of the order banning the popular video-sharing app in the United States. Initially slated for shutdown in January 2025, TikTok was revived through one of Trump’s early executive orders after taking office.

High-level trade negotiations between the U.S. and China began in Spain on Sunday, with TikTok reportedly part of the discussions. However, sources told Reuters that a deal is unlikely before the September deadline. The app was not on the agenda during previous U.S.-China trade meetings in Geneva, London, or Stockholm.

Trump hinted in August that several U.S. companies were prepared to purchase TikTok’s American operations, raising expectations of another deadline extension. His administration appears hesitant to ban the app, which has roughly 170 million U.S. users and remains a powerful player in the social media landscape.

Any U.S. buyer, however, must also receive approval from Beijing, adding complexity to the negotiations. Earlier reports suggested tech giants such as Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), and Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) as potential acquirers. More recently, YouTube star James Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, and video-sharing platform Rumble Inc. (NASDAQ:RUM) have also expressed interest in acquiring TikTok.

The future of TikTok in the United States remains uncertain, as trade and political considerations weigh heavily on the final decision. For now, another extension seems likely, keeping millions of American users connected to the app while discussions between Washington and Beijing continue.