Trump considers TikTok deadline extension amid negotiation challenges

In the United States, President Donald Trump expressed a willingness to extend the deadline for China-based ByteDance to divest its U.S. assets of TikTok if no agreement is reached by June 19. Trump indicated that he has a favorable view of the popular short video app, which has become a significant platform among younger voters, especially during the 2024 presidential election. Prior to this latest statement, Trump had already delayed the enforcement of a ban on TikTok twice, initially setting deadlines to January, then to early April, and now to June 19. The president's remarks were made during an interview with NBC News aired on May 4, 2025, at his Mar-a-Lago estate, wherein he stated, "I’d like to see it done" and affirmed that TikTok would be “very strongly protected.” Discussions about a possible deal that would create a new firm based in the United States, majority-owned by U.S. investors, are reported to still be ongoing. However, these negotiations have been complicated by the existing trade tariffs between the U.S. and China. Trump emphasized that China is eager to reach an agreement due to the economic pressures resulting from the current 145% tariffs on Chinese goods. Although he would not eliminate the tariffs solely to prompt negotiations, he mentioned the possibility of reducing them as part of a broader agreement. As of now, many Democratic senators have expressed concerns regarding Trump's legal authority to further delay the enforcement of the ban, suggesting that any potential deal would still not comply with legal requirements. Meanwhile, TikTok continues to be a vital app in the U.S. with approximately 170 million users, and its operations remain in limbo depending on the resolution of various negotiations with ByteDance and the implications of U.S.-China trade relations.