TikTok will continue operating in the United States for at least another three months, after President Donald Trump announced plans to extend the app’s sale-or-ban deadline for a third time since taking office earlier this year.

The Chinese-owned video-sharing platform, which boasts over 170 million American users, was expected to face a nationwide ban following ByteDance’s failure to sell its US operations by a legislated January deadline. But White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Tuesday that the president would sign a new Executive Order this week, granting the platform a 90-day extension.

“President Trump will sign an additional Executive Order this week to keep TikTok up and running,” Leavitt said, adding that the move aims 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 extension contradicts the bipartisan law passed by Congress and signed by former President Joe Biden last year, which required TikTok to either sell its US operations to an American firm or face a complete ban, citing national security risks.

Trump, speaking to the BBC, said he would “probably” approve the extension, and hinted that Chinese authorities would ultimately sign off on any deal. “I think President Xi will ultimately approve it,” he said. When asked whether he had the legal authority to extend the deadline, Trump simply replied, “We do.”

TikTok’s parent company ByteDance and the platform itself did not immediately comment on the extension. The app had briefly gone offline during the weekend before Trump’s inauguration, but was restored, prompting TikTok to publicly thank the president for “saving the platform.”

Trump’s stance on TikTok has shifted dramatically since his first term, when he unsuccessfully tried to force a sale to US tech giant Oracle. Now, he says the platform helped him secure the youth vote in the 2024 election. “I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok, because I won youth by 34 points,” he said in December—despite most polls showing young voters backed Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.

Several investor groups remain interested in acquiring TikTok’s US arm. Oracle, whose co-founder Larry Ellison is a longtime Trump ally, remains a frontrunner. Other suitors include billionaire Frank McCourt, Canadian investor Kevin O’Leary, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, and YouTube star Jimmy Donaldson, popularly known as MrBeast.

However, TikTok’s future in the US remains clouded by geopolitical friction. South China Morning Post reported earlier this year that any sale of TikTok would require Beijing’s approval under updated export control laws—a major sticking point for potential deals.

Despite the legal uncertainty, industry experts believe a ban is becoming increasingly unlikely. “What ban? There is nothing ‘looming’ about the potential TikTok ban anymore,” said Kelsey Chickering, principal analyst at Forrester. She noted TikTok’s growing confidence, especially after the company unveiled new AI video tools at the Cannes Lions festival this week.

“Smaller players, like Snap, will try to steal share during this ‘uncertain time,’ but they will not succeed because this next round for TikTok isn’t uncertain at all,” Chickering added.

Chioma Kalu

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