President Donald Trump has indicated he will "probably" extend the looming deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok's U.S. operations, potentially preventing the popular app from going dark for American users this Thursday. The Chinese-owned social media platform faces its third reprieve as negotiations for its sale continue.
According to a Reuters report, Trump made these remarks Tuesday while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One. The current June 19 deadline would otherwise force TikTok to shut down its U.S. services for the second time this year.
President Trump expressed optimism that a deal will eventually materialize, saying he believes Chinese President Xi Jinping will ultimately approve the sale. "Probably have to get China approval but I think we'll get it. I think President Xi will ultimately approve it," Trump stated.
TikTok's relationship with the U.S. government has been turbulent since concerns about the app's Chinese ownership emerged. The platform briefly went offline for American users on January 19, just one day before Trump's inauguration for his second term, after ByteDance failed to meet sale requirements under U.S. law.
Upon taking office, Trump granted ByteDance a 75-day extension, setting a new deadline of April 5. When that deadline passed without a sale, the president extended it again until June 19, which is now approaching without a resolution to the situation.
This potential third extension demonstrates the complex nature of forcing the sale of a global technology platform with deep ties to both American users and Chinese ownership. The stakes remain high as TikTok serves approximately 170 million Americans.
U.S. lawmakers continue to express significant concerns about TikTok's Chinese ownership, pointing to ByteDance's legal obligations to the Chinese Communist Party as a primary security issue. These worries have fueled bipartisan support for either selling the app to non-Chinese owners or banning it entirely.
The app's massive user base and influence have complicated efforts to enforce a hard deadline. With 170 million American users, any ban would create significant disruption to both consumers and creators who rely on the platform.
Trump has acknowledged having "a little sweet spot in my heart" for TikTok, crediting the platform with helping him reach younger voters during his successful 2024 presidential campaign. This personal sentiment may be influencing his willingness to grant additional time for negotiations.
The TikTok situation represents a complex intersection of technology, national security, and international relations between the world's two largest economies. President Trump must balance security concerns with the political consequences of shutting down a widely used social platform.
ByteDance faces significant challenges in finalizing any deal, as it needs approval from both U.S. regulators and Chinese authorities. The Chinese government has historically resisted forced technology transfers, viewing them as economic coercion.
Trump's comments suggest he believes the Chinese leadership will eventually relent and approve a sale, though he offered no specific timeline or reasoning for this optimism. "I think President Xi will ultimately approve it," he remarked during Tuesday's conversation with reporters.
The TikTok saga continues to evolve as the deadline approaches with no apparent immediate resolution. The pattern of extensions suggests the complex negotiations require more time than initially anticipated when the original deadline was established.
If President Trump follows through on his indication to extend the deadline, ByteDance will receive unprecedented breathing room in its efforts to satisfy U.S. requirements. This would mark the third such extension since Trump took office in January 2025.
The fate of TikTok remains uncertain as ByteDance navigates competing demands from two global superpowers. For the 170 million American users who regularly engage with the platform, the president's decision could determine whether they retain access to an app that has become deeply integrated into American digital culture.
