Trump Says Not Yet to TikTok’s Curtain Call
Trump stalls TikTok ban with a 75-day extension as talks over U.S. ownership hang in the balance.
Editorial Team (ET)May 8, 2025
President Donald Trump has once again delayed a looming ban on TikTok, granting a 75-day extension in a dramatic move aimed at salvaging a deal to transfer the Chinese-owned app into American hands. The executive order, signed Friday from his Mar-a-Lago estate, extends TikTok's operational window in the U.S. amid growing national security concerns and mounting legal ambiguity.
Trump’s announcement, posted on his social media platform, proclaimed that his administration has made “tremendous progress” in negotiating a resolution to keep the platform accessible to American users while addressing bipartisan fears over data privacy and foreign surveillance.
This latest maneuver not only underscores the high-stakes geopolitical tension surrounding technology and data control, but also injects renewed uncertainty into the lives of millions of content creators and users who rely on TikTok daily.
Extending the Deadline, Not the Law
The original deadline, set by Congress and backed unanimously by the Supreme Court, required TikTok’s parent company ByteDance to divest its U.S. operations by January 19 or face a total ban. Despite that deadline expiring, Trump had already once bypassed enforcement. Now, with no formal agreement reached, he’s issued another extension—this time for 75 days.
However, legal experts are raising red flags. According to Alan Rozenshtein, associate professor of law at the University of Minnesota, Trump’s move is not a legitimate extension of the law. “He’s not extending anything,” Rozenshtein said. “All he’s doing is saying he will not enforce the law for 75 more days.”
The executive order, while signaling intent to complete a deal, lacks the Congressional notification and legal mechanisms required under the original statute. In short, the law banning TikTok is still active—Trump is merely choosing not to enforce it, for now.
A Deal Still Out of Reach
At the heart of the political tug-of-war lies TikTok’s closely guarded algorithm. While several U.S. companies have shown interest in acquiring the platform, ByteDance remains adamant that the algorithm—which powers TikTok’s addictive feed and data collection—is not for sale.
This has created a stalemate. Without control of the algorithm, cybersecurity experts like Chris Pierson, CEO of BlackCloak, argue that the core concerns over national security remain unresolved.
“If the algorithm is still controlled by ByteDance, then it’s still controlled by a company in a foreign, adversarial nation-state,” Pierson warned. “That data could be used for other means.”
The Biden-era legislation that mandated divestment was driven by fears that China could exploit American user data for surveillance, manipulation, or influence operations—concerns that have not been assuaged by Beijing’s repeated assurances.
China Pushes Back on U.S. Pressure
Beijing has consistently denied that it would ever use private companies like ByteDance for state surveillance. China’s Foreign Ministry reiterated that it “has never and will never ask companies to collect or provide data” from overseas operations.
Still, China's firm grip on TikTok’s algorithm has been viewed by U.S. lawmakers as a red line. Without real structural change, even a partial U.S. acquisition may not be enough to resolve the issue.
ByteDance’s resistance to divestment has put the onus back on the U.S. government to determine whether national security trumps commerce and consumer demand.
TikTok Creators Brace for Uncertainty
While political and legal battles rage behind the scenes, millions of American users are left navigating a digital minefield. For many creators, TikTok is more than just an app—it’s a livelihood. Terrell Wade, a comedian and content creator with over 1.5 million followers under the handle @TheWadeEmpire, described the emotional toll of repeated threats of a ban.
“I’m glad there’s an extension,” Wade said. “But to be honest, going through this process again feels a bit exhausting.”
Wade has been working to diversify his social media presence, building audiences on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. Still, the uncertainty surrounding TikTok’s future is making long-term planning difficult for creators whose careers have flourished on the platform.
“Every time a new deadline pops up, it starts to feel less like a real threat and more like background noise,” Wade added.
Public Opinion Split on TikTok Ban
The American public remains deeply divided on whether TikTok should be banned outright. A recent Pew Research Center survey found that only a third of Americans now support a ban, down from 50% in 2023. Another third oppose a ban, while the rest remain unsure.
Among those in favor of banning the app, data security was the top concern, cited by 80% of respondents. Despite this, the drop in support suggests that TikTok’s cultural foothold has only strengthened, even as its political future becomes increasingly fragile.
The generational divide is evident. Younger Americans, who make up the bulk of TikTok’s user base, are far more skeptical of banning a platform that’s become synonymous with internet culture, trends, and humor.
Legal Gray Area and Political Calculations
Trump’s executive orders since returning to the presidency have generated over 130 lawsuits in just two months, but notably, none have challenged his temporary decision to delay TikTok’s ban. This silence is notable given how many legal scholars view his move as lacking a statutory basis.
What remains unclear is whether Congress will intervene to challenge the executive delay, or if the courts will eventually be asked to weigh in again.
Trump, meanwhile, has cast himself as the dealmaker-in-chief, presenting the extension as part of a larger strategy to secure a favorable outcome for American tech interests.
“We look forward to working with TikTok and China to close the deal,” Trump declared in his post.
What Happens Next?
As the 75-day clock ticks down, all eyes are on negotiations between ByteDance, U.S. tech firms, and federal regulators. If a deal cannot be struck that includes transferring control of TikTok’s algorithm, the app’s future in America remains uncertain.
The question facing both lawmakers and the American public is this: Can a compromise be found that secures national interests without stripping away a cultural phenomenon?
With trust in political institutions already frayed, the ongoing drama over TikTok has become a proxy war in the larger battle between privacy, platform power, and geopolitical rivalry.
For now, TikTok survives—but its fate remains in the balance.
Conclusion
The 75-day extension for TikTok is not a resolution—it's a delay. While President Trump frames it as progress, critics argue it’s a legal sidestep that prolongs uncertainty. With national security concerns still unresolved and ByteDance showing no signs of budging on its algorithm, the core issue remains intact. Meanwhile, creators continue to ride the wave of unpredictability, and Americans remain divided over what should come next. Whether this ends in a deal or a ban, one thing is clear: the TikTok saga is far from over.
