Former U.S. President Donald Trump has given TikTok an extra 75 days to sell its U.S. operations or face a ban. The popular video-sharing app, which has over 170 million users in the U.S., is owned by Chinese company ByteDance.
The U.S. government fears TikTok could be used by China to spy or spread misinformation. Because of this, Congress passed a law requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok to an American company or risk it being shut down in the U.S.
Trump announced the extension on his social media platform, Truth Social, saying, “We don’t want TikTok to go dark.” He added that he hopes to work with TikTok and China to reach a deal.
ByteDance said talks are still ongoing but any agreement must also be approved by Chinese authorities. A deal was close earlier this week, but it fell through after Trump announced new tariffs on Chinese goods. In response, China reportedly pulled back from the deal.
Several big companies and investors, including Amazon, Microsoft, and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, have shown interest in buying TikTok.
Trump’s administration is now trying to restart the deal, with some suggesting China may approve it if the U.S. eases its trade tariffs.
Trump said the tariffs are important for national security and a strong economy. For now, TikTok has a bit more time, but the pressure is on to find a new owner and avoid a full ban in the U.S.
