Trump's Relentless Stance on TikTok: Third Extension of Sale Deadline

Deadline Extended from June 19 to Mid-September

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has decided to grant an additional 90-day extension for the sale deadline of the U.S. operations of TikTok, the popular Chinese-owned video platform. This marks the third extension, pushing the original deadline of June 19 to mid-September.

White House spokesperson Caroline Leavitt stated in a press release on the 17th (local time), "As President Trump has repeatedly said, he does not want TikTok services to be suspended." She added, "He will sign an additional executive order this week to allow TikTok to continue its services." She explained that the administration will continue working during the extension period to ensure the sale agreement is finalized.

This move is in line with President Trump's previous indications. As he returned to Washington, D.C. from the G7 summit in Canada, he told reporters aboard Air Force One that the TikTok sale deadline would "probably" be extended again. He also said that Chinese President Xi Jinping would "eventually approve" the sale deal.

The TikTok ban law was passed by the U.S. Congress in April last year during the previous Joe Biden administration, amid bipartisan concerns that China could collect sensitive information on Americans or exert undue influence on public opinion through TikTok.

Under this law, ByteDance, the Chinese parent company operating TikTok, is required to sell TikTok's U.S. operations to an American company. If the sale does not go through, TikTok services will be suspended in the United States. The sale was originally supposed to be completed by January 19 of this year, but President Trump granted two previous extensions in January and April, pushing back the deadline.

According to the political news outlet Axios, fatigue is growing even within the Republican Party as President Trump continues to extend the sale deadline. Republican Senator Ted Cruz told reporters that Congress passed the law to prevent the Chinese government from conducting espionage or spreading propaganda through TikTok. He said, "We expect the Trump administration to fight to achieve this goal." He warned, "If not, Congress will respond very candidly."