Trump Stalls TikTok Ban Again Amid Sales Negotiations
Trump delays TikTok ban temporarily
U.S. President Donald Trump has decided to extend the deadline for Chinese-owned TikTok to sell its U.S. operations by another 90 days. This is the third time Trump has delayed the enforcement of the bipartisan law that effectively bans TikTok in the States due to national security concerns over its parent company, ByteDance.
White House officials cite ongoing negotiations to finalize a deal allowing TikTok's U.S. assets to be divested to American owners as the primary reason for the extension. The administration wants to ensure that American users can continue to access the popular app with data security guarantees in place.
This latest deadline extension comes as a result of setbacks in negotiations caused by U.S.-China trade tensions. After President Trump imposed global tariffs on Chinese imports, Beijing instructed ByteDance to halt the sale, making it more difficult to wrap up the negotiations.
The Trump administration has repeatedly used executive orders to postpone the ban even when faced with bipartisan congressional pressure to remove TikTok due to espionage and data privacy concerns. Some lawmakers are frustrated by these repeated delays but remain cautious about opposing the president's approach.
President Trump himself has expressed a fondness for TikTok, stating that he has a "warm spot" for the platform due to its popularity among younger voters and his own growing following.
Politicizing the Video App
In his first term (which ended in early 2021), Trump advocated for a ban or sale of TikTok. However, during his 2024 re-election campaign, he appears to see potential in the app to win over the youth vote. Trump, who regularly uses TikTok, has amassed over 15 million followers on the platform.
Overview
President Donald Trump has extended the deadline for TikTok to sell its U.S. operations by another 90 days, marking the third time he has delayed enforcing the bipartisan law that effectively bans TikTok in the United States due to national security concerns over its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. The administration is actively working to finalize a deal allowing TikTok's U.S. assets to be divested to American owners, aiming to safeguard American users' data while keeping the popular app operational. Despite espionage allegations against China and bipartisan legislative pressure to ban the app, the administration continues to delay enforcement to allow time for a negotiated divestment rather than an outright ban.
The Commission, in the midst of this political tense environment and general news surrounding TikTok's sale, has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionising radiation, as the administration focuses on ensuring data security guarantees for American TikTok users.
Lawmakers, amidst the ongoing negotiations and Trump's repetitive delays in enforcing the TikTok ban, have expressed concerns about espionage and data privacy issues, carefully treading their stance towards the president's approach to the video app.
