TikTok ban deadline likely to be extended again as Trump struggles to seal U.S. deal

The future of TikTok in the United States remains uncertain as yet another extension of the federal ban appears to be on the horizon. According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, former President Donald Trump is expected to delay enforcement of the TikTok ban by an additional 75 days—marking the third time the deadline has been pushed since the app was formally targeted under national security legislation earlier this year.

The latest extension would keep TikTok operational in the U.S. beyond the current June 19 deadline, which was set during Trump’s second postponement of the ban. Despite the law going into effect in January under the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, the Department of Justice has been instructed not to enforce it, effectively allowing the app to continue business as usual for the time being.

The move to delay yet again comes amid a stalled effort to transition TikTok’s U.S. operations into American hands. Trump’s allies have floated a mix of unconventional and traditional suitors—including Oracle, Amazon, and Perplexity—as well as a lineup of prominent individuals such as investor Frank McCourt, Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary, Employer.com founder Jesse Tinsley, and YouTube star MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson). Despite the interest, no agreement has emerged, and little progress has reportedly been made toward a finalized deal.

Part of the holdup stems from resistance on the other side of the Pacific. The Chinese government has not signaled any willingness to approve a forced divestiture, particularly as tensions rise over tariffs and ongoing trade friction between the two nations. Without cooperation from Beijing, any sale involving ByteDance’s prized algorithm and user data infrastructure remains stalled.

The Wall Street Journal notes that Trump’s decision to delay may reflect both the complexity of the negotiations and a desire to avoid a sudden shutdown that could spark backlash from millions of U.S. users. TikTok continues to be one of the most downloaded apps nationwide and a primary source of content discovery, especially among younger demographics.

Although the platform remains accessible via the App Store and Google Play, its legal status is anything but stable. Industry analysts point out that while the delay buys TikTok more time, it also prolongs uncertainty for creators, advertisers, and tech stakeholders watching the situation closely.

The bigger picture centers on U.S.–China tech relations, and whether TikTok will become a blueprint for how future foreign apps are treated. For now, the ban remains real on paper but suspended in practice—a high-wire legal balancing act with no clear end in sight.