Trump Grants Third Extension for TikTok Sale, Stating "Soft Spot" for App
Trump extends TikTok purchase deadline for another 90 days - Trump extends the deadline for TikTok's sale purchase by an extra 90 days.
Wanna know who's causing a stir again? None other than the infamous Donald Trump. Just a day before his second stint as President came to a close, a U.S. law took effect, forcing TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, to offload the app's American operations. Why, you ask? Well, the U.S. authorities claimed TikTok was being used by Beijing's sneaky spies to dig up dirt on unsuspecting users.
Spokesperson for the Trump administration, Karoline Leavitt, explained that the sale was to ensure the American population remains entertained while their data stays safe. Thanks to Trump's newest 90-day extension, negotiations are ongoing to seal the deal.
This isn't the first time Trump has been lenient with TikTok. He initially delayed a nationwide ban from U.S. app stores for 75 days upon taking office. Then, in early April, he extended it by another 75 days. Despite his past push for a TikTok ban, Trump now seems to see the app, with its massive following of American users, as a potential tool in his 2024 re-election campaign, targeting the younger demographic.
Trump himself admitted to NBC News last month that TikTok holds a special spot in his heart, saying, "TikTok has a little warm place in my heart."
Contenders for TikTok's American operations include Microsoft, Amazon, Oracle (potentially with a consortium), and the McCourt investment group—with Microsoft and Amazon considered the front-runners due to their hefty financial resources and strategic match. Microsoft has shown renewed interest since early 2025, aiming to acquire not just the operations but the core algorithm itself, with a reported offer of anywhere between $20 billion and $30 billion on the table. Amazon threw its hat into the ring in April 2025, leveraging its e-commerce platform and Twitch for potential partnerships.
The extensions provide negotiators and buyers with extra time to find a solution that addresses national security concerns, while maintaining stability for the 170 million American TikTok users and businesses who rely on the app. Trump is also hinting at potential leverage in broader U.S.-China trade discussions linked to the sale.
Now that Trump has left the Oval Office, it'll be interesting to see what transpires in the months to come. Stay tuned, folks!
- Donald Trump
- TikTok
- ByteDance Ltd.
- Online Platform
- US President
- Parent Company
- Microsoft
- Amazon
- Oracle
- McCourt Investment Group
- Karoline Leavitt
- USA
- Running
- Beijing
- US Population
[1] [Enrichment Data 1][2] [Enrichment Data 2][3] [Enrichment Data 3][4] [Enrichment Data 4]
- In the final days of his term as the United States' President, Donald Trump granted a third extension for the sale of TikTok, a decision that hints at his potential use of the platform in his 2024 re-election campaign, notably aiming to connect with younger voters.
- Amid ongoing negotiations, contenders for TikTok's United States operations, including Microsoft, Amazon, Oracle, and the McCourt Investment Group, are striving to find a solution that addresses national security concerns while maintaining stability for the 170 million American users and businesses who depend on the platform, a delicate balancing act in the realm of policy-and-legislation and politics.
