Trump Extends TikTok Divestment Deadline Again, Says 'Xi Will Ultimately Approve' The Deal Amid Stalled US Spinoff Talks

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday he will extend the June 19 deadline for ByteDance to divest TikTok‘s U.S. assets by 90 days, marking the third reprieve from a congressionally mandated ban despite mounting legal challenges.

What Happened: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Trump will sign an executive order this week extending the deadline to mid-September, reported Reuters.

“President Trump does not want TikTok to go dark,” she said, adding the administration will use the next three months to ensure a sale closes with data security assurances for American users.

The extension comes as a proposed deal to spin off TikTok’s U.S. operations into a majority U.S.-owned entity remains stalled.

The transaction, which would serve TikTok’s 170 million American users, was put on hold after China indicated it would not approve the divestment following Trump’s announcement of steep tariffs on Chinese goods.

Trump acknowledged the Chinese approval requirement Tuesday aboard Air Force One. “Probably have to get China approval but I think we’ll get it. I think President Xi will ultimately approve it,” he said when asked about the extension.

See Also: Trump Demands Iran’s ‘Unconditional Surrender’ — Stock Futures Remain Steady, Defense Shares Trade Higher In After-Hours Trading

Why It Matters: The original law required TikTok to cease operations by January 19 unless ByteDance completed divesting U.S. assets or demonstrated significant progress toward a sale. Trump first extended the deadline to early April, then to June 19, citing the app’s role in helping him with young voters during the 2024 election.

The ongoing tariff dispute with China, which saw duties on Chinese goods rise to 145%, has complicated negotiations as both countries navigate trade tensions.

In March, Trump indicated a willingness to reduce tariffs on China to facilitate the ByteDance divestment deal. However, the broader trade relationship remains uncertain as formal negotiations have yet to gain significant momentum.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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