President Donald Trump has once again extended the deadline for TikTok’s sale to a U.S. buyer. The new deadline is now September 17, according to an executive order he signed on Thursday. This marks the third time this year that the deadline has been pushed back.
The repeated delays have started to frustrate some Senate Republicans, especially since a bipartisan law requiring TikTok’s sale was passed more than a year ago. Lawmakers have raised national security concerns over the app’s ties to China-based parent company ByteDance.
So far, ByteDance has failed to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations. Earlier this year, talks of spinning off TikTok’s American business stalled after the U.S. imposed new tariffs on China. Trump has suggested that a sale could be used as leverage in trade negotiations.
Trump announced the deadline extension on Truth Social, continuing a pattern of backing off from strict bans. Although he pushed hard for a TikTok ban during his first term, Trump has softened his stance as the app’s popularity has surged, especially among young voters, including many of his supporters.
Earlier this month, a group of House Democrats sent a letter to Trump urging him to stop delaying the sale and enforce the law.
For now, TikTok remains active in the U.S., but its long-term future remains uncertain.
