Trump’s third delay sparks GOP revolt

• Trump announces further 90-day TikTok ban extension despite growing Republican criticism.
• Delay as US-China trade talks continue.
• TikTok increasingly viewed as a bargaining chip in broader diplomatic negotiations.

President Donald Trump will sign another executive order this week granting TikTok a third ban extension of 90 days despite mounting opposition from Republican senators who view the popular social media platform as a national security threat.

The latest TikTok ban extension announcement came Tuesday via White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who stated that “President Trump will sign an additional Executive Order this week to keep TikTok up and running.”

The extension will provide the administration with another 90 days “working to ensure this deal is closed so that the American people can continue to use TikTok with the assurance that their data is safe and secure.”

This is Trump’s third delay of the sale-or-ban law since taking office in January, highlighting the complex geopolitical dynamics surrounding the Chinese-owned platform that serves 170 million American users.

Republican Senators express frustration

The decision has drawn criticism from key Republican lawmakers who championed the original bipartisan legislation requiring TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance to divest itself of the platform or face a ban in the United States.

“I’m not overly delighted,” Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker told reporters regarding the delay. “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

Senator Josh Hawley expressed similar concerns, telling Axios: “That’s not my favourite thing. I’m fine with him trying to sell it, that’s fine, but I think at a certain point we’ve got to enforce this law.”

Senator John Cornyn was more direct, stating: “I’d like to see the law go into effect.”

The pushback reflects broader Republican concerns about China’s potential use of TikTok for espionage and propaganda purposes.

“China has used TikTok for espionage and propaganda,” said Senator Ted Cruz. “That’s why Congress overwhelmingly passed legislation to force the Chinese Communist government to divest, and it is my hope and expectation that that’s what’s going to happen.”

Timeline of extensions and failed negotiations

The sale-or-ban law technically went into effect on January 19, 2025, after being signed by former President Joe Biden. However, TikTok’s presence in the US has been marked by uncertainty rather than enforcement.

TikTok briefly took itself offline, sparking outcry from users, but quickly returned after President Trump signed an executive order delaying the ban’s enforcement by 75 days – one of his first acts as President.

In April, a deal that would have transferred majority control of TikTok’s US operations to American ownership was nearly finalised. The arrangement would have involved several American venture capital funds, private equity firms, and tech giants investing in a company that was to control TikTok’s US operations, while ByteDance was to retain a 20% stake.

However, the deal collapsed after Trump announced additional tariffs on China. “There are key matters to be resolved. Any agreement will be subject to approval under Chinese law,” ByteDance said after Trump’s tariff policy stalled progress.

Several high-profile bidders have expressed interest in acquiring the platform, including a group led by billionaire Frank McCourt and “Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Leary, Amazon, AI firm Perplexity, and a separate group that included YouTube and TikTok star Jimmy Donaldson (MrBeast).

China’s algorithm stance complicates negotiations

The Chinese government has offered little public indication of willingness to approve a sale beyond suggesting that any deal could not include TikTok’s “algorithm” – widely considered the app’s competitive advantage.

Trump acknowledged this challenge Tuesday, telling reporters that a TikTok deal would “probably” require approval by the Chinese government. “I think President Xi will ultimately approve it, yes,” the US president added.

The algorithm issue represents a significant sticking point, as it’s unclear whether American buyers would find TikTok valuable without its sophisticated content recommendation system.

Trade talks context

The latest TikTok ban extension comes as the US and China have agreed a framework to ease export controls, a move expected to reduce tensions between the two countries. While it’s unclear whether a TikTok deal is included in the framework, improved cooperation could facilitate an agreement to transfer control of the app to US buyers.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune told Axios he’s “hoping that the negotiations on a buyer are making headway enough” to find a suitable match, but acknowledged “I don’t think they have yet.”

What’s next?

The current extension will expire in mid-September, setting up another potential deadline for the Trump administration. However, the pattern of repeated delays suggests the president may continue prioritising diplomatic flexibility over enforcement.

Senator Mike Rounds noted the issue is “probably taking second place to everything else going on in the world,” but emphasised that “at some point” TikTok will have to be eliminated from the US market – either through sale or ban.

The ongoing delays reflect Trump’s changeable position on TikTok. During his previous administration, he first attempted to ban the platform, but has since said he changed his mind after he “got to use it.” The shift was symbolically represented when TikTok CEO Shou Chew attended Trump’s inauguration, seated alongside Cabinet secretaries and other tech CEOs.

As the September deadline approaches, the fundamental tension remains unresolved: balancing politically-charged national security concerns with the platform’s massive American user base, while navigating complex US-China relations. TikTok has become a bargaining chip in broader trade negotiations.

Yet perhaps the most intriguing question is whether Trump finds himself trapped by his promises. Having committed publicly to keeping TikTok “alive” and courted its massive user base during his campaign, the President may now be too politically invested in finding a face-saving solution to simply reverse course and enforce the ban his party demands.

Each extension deepens the predicament, making it increasingly difficult to abandon a platform he once championed without appearing to flip-flop on a signature issue.