Trump Gives TikTok More Time to Find a U.S. Buyer as China Holds Key

President Donald Trump has given TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, an extra 90 days to sell its U.S. business. This move comes after a law passed in 2024 required ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations or face a ban.

The U.S. government says this is needed to protect Americans’ personal data and prevent foreign influence through the app’s algorithm. TikTok is very popular in the United States, with more than 100 million users, most of them under 30.

The app’s U.S. business is also valuable, with revenues expected to reach nearly $10 billion this year. Lawmakers worry that, because ByteDance is a Chinese company, the Chinese government could access American data or shape what users see.

ByteDance has denied these claims and says it keeps U.S. data safe on American servers managed by Oracle, a major U.S. tech company.

Oracle is currently the main candidate to buy TikTok’s U.S. operations, but any sale needs approval from both U.S. and Chinese authorities. So far, China has not approved any deal.

Trade tensions between the U.S. and China make the sale more complicated. President Trump has increased tariffs on Chinese goods, and China has responded with its own measures.

These disputes have slowed down the talks about TikTok’s future. If ByteDance does not sell TikTok’s U.S. business by mid-September, the app could be banned in the United States.

This would affect millions of users and billions of dollars in business. The outcome will also set an example for how other foreign-owned apps are treated in the U.S.

This story matters because it shows how issues of business, technology, and national security are now deeply connected. The final decision will shape not just TikTok’s future but also the rules for global tech companies operating in the U.S.

All information in this article comes from official government statements, company reports, and public records. No unverified claims or quotes appear here.

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