Just when you thought the TikTok deal was done, China pulled out of the deal.
On Friday, President Trump issued an executive order granting TikTok another 75 days to secure American ownership, delaying a looming U.S. ban. This move came as White House officials believed they were close to a deal where TikTok’s U.S. operations would become a new, majority American-owned company, with China’s ByteDance retaining a minority stake.
However, China reportedly stopped the deal Thursday after Trump announced new global tariffs, including those targeting China. A source indicated that ByteDance informed the White House that China would not approve the agreement without trade and tariff negotiations.
Trump stated his administration was making “tremendous progress” to “SAVE TIKTOK,” needing more time for approvals. ByteDance confirmed ongoing discussions but noted that no agreement is final and that any deal requires Chinese approval.
This is Trump’s second executive action to temporarily block the bipartisan 2024 law mandating TikTok’s divestiture from China over national security risks.
Experts warn that if TikTok’s algorithm remains under ByteDance’s control, the underlying security concerns will persist. Cybersecurity expert Chris Pierson stressed the risks of data and algorithm manipulation by a company in an adversarial nation.
Legal scholars like Alan Rozenshtein argue that Trump is unilaterally delaying enforcement of the existing ban, not legally extending it. Public opinion on a TikTok ban remains divided. Creators like Terrell Wade express frustration with the ongoing uncertainty and are expanding to other platforms.
