Trump Extends Deadline for TikTok's Chinese Owner to Divest the App

Strategic Insights -

President Donald Trump will sign an executive order this week to extend the deadline for TikTok's Chinese owner, ByteDance, to divest the popular video-sharing app. The new deadline, set at 180 days, will give the Administration time to ensure a deal is closed that would allow the American people to continue using TikTok with the assurance that their data is safe and secure. This move is an extension of the initial 75-day deadline set in early April, which was then extended to 90 days in a previous executive order.

Key Takeaways:

  • The deadline for TikTok's Chinese owner, ByteDance, to divest the app has been extended to 180 days from the initial 75 days.
  • The Administration will use this time to work on ensuring a deal is closed to sell the app to American owners.
  • President Trump has said he does not want TikTok to go dark and believes Chinese President Xi Jinping will ultimately approve a deal to divest TikTok's business in the United States.
  • The ban on TikTok, initially imposed on January 20, the day of Trump's first executive order, has been extended multiple times.
  • President Trump has amassed more than 15 million followers on TikTok and has credited the platform with helping him gain traction among young voters.
  • The deal to sell TikTok to American owners was put on ice after China backed out following Trump's tariff announcement.

Statistics:

  • The initial deadline for divestment was 75 days, set in early April.
  • The deadline was extended to 90 days in a previous executive order.
  • The new deadline is 180 days, which is an extension of the previous deadline.
  • President Trump has amassed more than 15 million followers on TikTok since he joined the platform.
  • The platform went dark briefly on January 20 before the initial executive order.

Sources:

  • The Associated Press article dated April 2023
  • The Associated Press article dated January 20, 2023