US President Donald Trump has once again extended the deadline for TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, to sell its American operations, temporarily averting a nationwide ban on the popular video app.
The new deadline is December 16, following an executive order signed on Tuesday. This marks the fourth extension since a national security law, requiring ByteDance to divest its US operations, took effect in January.
US-China Talks Shape TikTok’s Future
The extension comes as Washington and Beijing negotiate a framework deal that could transfer control of TikTok’s US arm to a consortium including Oracle, Silver Lake, and Andreessen Horowitz, according to reports.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC that the deal included “proper safeguards for US national security” while also addressing China’s interests. President Trump is expected to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week.
Proposed Consortium to Control TikTok US
Under the proposed agreement, TikTok’s US operations would be controlled by Oracle Corp., Silver Lake, and Andreessen Horowitz, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources familiar with the deal.
CNBC noted that Oracle would maintain the TikTok cloud contract, with the framework potentially closing in 30 to 45 days. Multiple variations of a solution keeping Oracle as a technical partner have been discussed over the years.
TikTok’s US Legal and Political Spotlight
TikTok’s presence in the US has been a flashpoint in Washington. Lawmakers from both parties supported the divest-or-ban law over concerns the app could be used by Beijing to harvest Americans’ data or influence public opinion.
Trump, however, has resisted enforcing a ban, calling privacy and security concerns “highly overrated” in August.
Extension Keeps TikTok Available
The latest extension ensures TikTok remains available in US app stores while negotiations continue. However, questions persist over whether repeated reprieves are legally sound, as the law permits only one 90-day extension.
