
05/04/2025
As of April 4, 2025, President Donald Trump has issued an executive order extending the deadline for ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to divest its U.S. operations by an additional 75 days. This extension allows TikTok to continue operating in the United States until June 19, 2025.
In April 2024, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act was enacted, mandating that applications deemed to be controlled by foreign adversaries, specifically ByteDance and its subsidiaries, divest their U.S. operations within 270 days, setting an initial deadline of January 19, 2025. The act allowed for a possible 90-day extension if significant progress toward divestiture was demonstrated.
The primary motivation behind the extension is to provide additional time for ongoing negotiations aimed at resolving national security concerns associated with TikTok’s operations in the U.S. Several American companies, including Amazon, OnlyFans, and Blackstone, have expressed interest in acquiring TikTok’s U.S. operations, but no definitive agreement has been reached.
Complicating matters, recent escalations in trade tensions between the U.S. and China have influenced the divestiture process. President Trump’s imposition of a 54% tariff on Chinese goods led China to retaliate with a 34% tariff on American products. In response, China halted its approval of the TikTok deal, demanding broader trade negotiations before proceeding with the app’s divestiture.
While the extension temporarily prevents TikTok’s removal from U.S. app stores, concerns remain regarding the app’s data security and its Chinese ownership. Legal experts have noted that the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act does not explicitly grant the president authority to extend deadlines beyond the initial 90-day extension, raising questions about the legality of the current 75-day extension.  
In summary, the extension reflects the complex interplay between national security considerations, international trade relations, and the challenges of negotiating a sale that satisfies all parties involved.