The Trump administration is reportedly set to extend the deadline once again for ByteDance, the Chinese owner of TikTok, to divest the app’s U.S. operations or face a shutdown. This would mark the fourth extension of such a reprieve, originally mandated by a law intending for the divestment by January 2025. President Donald Trump had previously lined up U.S. buyers for TikTok, suggesting that the deadline could be further delayed in efforts to avoid shutting down a platform with a significant American user base.
TikTok, a short-video app with 170 million U.S. users, has been under scrutiny amid fears from some Washington officials that China might use it for surveillance or censorship. However, Trump has expressed an intention to maintain the app, which he credits with helping his engagement with younger voters during his re-election campaign.
A key obstacle to a U.S. deal for TikTok remains the approval required from Beijing for any transfer of the app’s algorithm to U.S. entities. An attempted deal in the spring, which would have seen TikTok’s American operations spun off into a U.S.-controlled company, stalled when China refused approval following Trump’s announcement of increased tariffs on Chinese imports.
Currently, discussions are in progress between senior U.S. trade representatives and Chinese officials in Spain, which include TikTok as a set agenda item. This latest development could provide a basis for extending the deadline further, a move likely to frustrate bipartisan members of Congress who have pushed for the app’s sale due to national security concerns.
The complexities of the negotiations highlight the ongoing tensions in U.S.-China trade relations and reflect a broader narrative of technology regulation and national security concerns. If managed effectively, these negotiations might set a precedent for dealing with international tech companies operating in sensitive geopolitical contexts.
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