President Trump is giving TikTok more time to resolve its future in the U.S., issuing a third 90-day extension on the enforcement of a law that could ban the platform unless it’s sold by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance.
Driving the news. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Tuesday that Trump will sign a new executive order this week, extending the deadline for a U.S. sale. “President Trump does not want TikTok to go dark,” Leavitt said.
- This marks the third enforcement delay since the sale-or-ban law took effect on January 19.
Why we care. The 90-day extension gives marketers continued access to a key driver of brand awareness, commerce, and cultural influence, especially as uncertainty around the platform’s future had created planning and budgeting challenges.
- As long as TikTok remains active, advertisers can keep leveraging its unique algorithm, creator ecosystem, and short-form video format to drive performance and visibility.
Catch up quick.
- The bipartisan law, signed by former President Biden, requires TikTok to either sell to a U.S.-approved buyer or face a national ban.
- TikTok briefly went offline for about 14 hours in January before Trump paused enforcement.
- A near-finalized sale in April collapsed after Trump announced new tariffs on China, derailing momentum and prompting another delay.
Where things stand. Talks between U.S. and Chinese officials have resumed, and both sides recently agreed to a framework to ease export controls. ByteDance has signaled it won’t sell TikTok’s core algorithm — a sticking point in negotiations.
Trump told reporters Tuesday that a deal “probably” needs approval from the Chinese government and added, “I think we’ll get it.”
Who’s in the mix. Several U.S. entities have expressed interest in acquiring TikTok’s U.S. operations, including Venture capital and private equity firms, Amazon, Perplexity, YouTuber MrBeast and several others.
What’s next. The new 90-day window pushes the next enforcement deadline to mid-September, leaving the door open for a potential deal — or another delay.
The bottom line. Trump’s latest move signals that while the threat of a TikTok ban still looms, political and economic realities — including ongoing trade talks with China — are keeping the app online for now. Advertisers, creators, and users can breathe easy, at least temporarily.