WASHINGTON — President Donald J. Trump is set to grant TikTok another last-minute reprieve, marking the third delay in enforcing a U.S. ban on the Chinese-owned app and testing the limits of a law meant to shut it down.
The White House confirmed on Tuesday that the president will issue a fresh executive order this week, giving TikTok 90 more days to continue operating in the United States.
“President Trump will sign an additional executive order this week to keep TikTok up and running,” said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. “This extension will last 90 days, which the administration will spend working to ensure this deal is closed so that the American people can continue to use TikTok with the assurance that their data is safe and secure.”
The order comes despite a legal deadline passed by Congress. Under the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, signed in April 2024, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, was required to sell the app’s U.S. operations by January 19, 2025. That law allowed only one extension a grace period the administration had already used earlier this year.
Now, this third delay raises fresh concerns about whether the White House is bending the rules, or simply trying to buy time in a politically sensitive standoff with Beijing.
A Political Tightrope
The president’s own popularity on the platform may be part of the story. Mr. Trump has more than 15 million followers on TikTok, and often shares clips of rallies, commentary, and short jabs at his political rivals.
But officials say the issue is bigger than politics. For years, U.S. lawmakers and intelligence agencies have flagged TikTok as a possible security risk, citing fears that the Chinese government could pressure ByteDance to hand over data on American users.
TikTok has denied the allegations, saying it stores U.S. user data on domestic servers and takes steps to protect privacy.
Still, pressure on the company remains high. Talks over a possible sale reportedly stalled in April, after Mr. Trump’s administration slapped new tariffs on Chinese goods, sparking tensions that froze negotiations.
China, in turn, has withheld regulatory approval needed for any sale to go through.
What Happens Next?
With no buyer in sight and legal timelines now in question, the future of TikTok in the U.S. remains murky. The latest delay pushes any potential ban into mid-September, giving both sides more time but also more uncertainty.
Critics say the White House is creating confusion by defying its own rules.
“Laws passed by Congress must be followed,” said Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat from Virginia and chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee. “Extending this deadline again sends the wrong message about national security.”
Supporters of the extension argue that banning TikTok now with no alternative in place could backfire and drive users toward unregulated platforms.
For now, the app remains live. But the legal, diplomatic, and political fight over who controls it and what that means for millions of users is far from over.
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