As talks over the destiny of TikTok within the United States close to an imminent deadline, President Donald Trump has moved the goal date as soon as once more.
On Tuesday, the White House issued an government order titled “Further increasing the TikTok app ban” which units a brand new deadline of December 16. Until that date, the Justice Department should not implement a regulation that would have shut down the favored social media app within the US.
That delay comes amid reviews that the U.S. and Chinese governments have moved nearer to a deal over TikTok, whilst consultants expressed skepticism a couple of well timed decision of the matter.
On Monday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent mentioned the 2 nations had reached a preliminary settlement and that “commerce phrases have been agreed upon,” in response to a number of information info.
On Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal reported That the US and Chinese groups this week mentioned a plan during which TikTok’s US operations could be managed by a consortium of traders that features software program large Oracle. American customers would transfer to a brand new app TikTok is testing, which might recreate content material suggestion algorithms for the app. The Journal famous that particulars of the deal haven’t but been finalized and might be topic to alter.
Neither TikTok nor the Treasury Department responded to requests for remark.
Trump plans to talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping about TikTok on Friday, in response to reviews.
Under a regulation handed in 2024 that cited nationwide safety and privateness issues, TikTok’s guardian firm, ByteDance, had till mid-January 2025 to switch the social media service to a US-based firm. Otherwise, the TikTok app would have primarily been banned within the United States. TikTok even briefly shut down for US customers earlier than the primary delay in enforcement.
Trump’s government orders in April and June reset the 90-day non-enforcement clocks.
A deal on TikTok has been difficult by the continued commerce conflict between the United States and China and a brand new ruling towards US-based Nvidia. China claims that Nvidia has violated antitrust legal guidelines in that nation.
Skepticism over a TikTok deal
Even with administration hinting {that a} deal is imminent, TikTok’s future may stay in limbo longer.
“I’ve seen TikTok negotiations stall and shift so many instances that I am unable to maintain my breath as a deal closes this week,” mentioned Star Kashman, founding father of Cyber Law Firm. “Every time we hear about progress or {that a} framework has been reached, some exterior complication throws the complete negotiation again into limbo.”
Nvidia’s tariffs and claims have additional difficult what was already a fancy negotiation over TikTok, he mentioned Monday. “There is probably going an excessive amount of at stake already, together with ByteDance’s potential obligations to the Chinese authorities, nationwide safety issues and privateness points, in addition to the will to keep up TikTok’s addictive algorithm, with out isolating or segregating American customers.”
Kashman mentioned neither get together has been clear about what would occur to TikTok beneath U.S. possession, together with failing to deal with the opportunity of a U.S.-only TikTok app.
Negotiation components
If a deal is reached to maintain TikTok obtainable within the United States, it might be only the start of disputes over the platform’s future, an knowledgeable on US-China relations mentioned.
“The Chinese typically take into account the signing of an settlement as the start of negotiations, not the tip,” he mentioned. Haley Ushaprofessor of administration at Wichita State University. “So the satan shall be within the particulars as they develop over a number of years.”
Haley mentioned any deal could be topic to congressional scrutiny and will set a precedent for the way future international apps will function within the United States.
The Trump administration would possible insist on storing TikTok’s knowledge within the United States, unbiased oversight and insulating it from Chinese authorized and political lawsuits, whereas China’s authorities would need to shield its technological champion and keep cultural affect, he mentioned.
Whatever necessities the United States imposes, Haley mentioned, China may nonetheless discover a technique to keep some management over TikTok by conserving some “secret doorways and trapdoors open for future intervention, if needed.”