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FILE-The logo of the social network TikTok appears on the screen of a smartphone and in the background on the computer. (Photo by Jaque Silva/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
President Donald Trump is hinting that a deal has been reached to “save” TikTok.
Trump announced the news on his Truth Social platform on Monday writing “The big Trade Meeting in Europe between The United States of America, and China, has gone VERY WELL! It will be concluding shortly. A deal was also reached on a “certain” company that young people in our Country very much wanted to save. They will be very happy! I will be speaking to President Xi on Friday. The relationship remains a very strong one!!! President DJT.”
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Trump has consistently extended the deadline for shutting down TikTok, even though the law allows for just one 90-day reprieve, and only if there’s a deal on the table and a formal notification to Congress.
The Associated Press reported that a framework deal has been reached for the ownership of TikTok, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said after weekend trade talks between the U.S. and China in Spain.
Bessent told reporters that the goal of the framework deal for TikTok would be to switch to US ownership. Bessent said that Trump and Xi would talk on Friday to complete the deal. According to the AP, Chinese officials have yet to confirm Bessent’s statement.
When is the TikTok ban deadline?
Why you should care:
The previous extension to the TikTok ban law, which requires TikTok’s Chinese parent company Bytedance to sell the video-sharing app in the US, expires June 19, the New York Post reported.
Former President Joe Biden signed the divest-or-ban law, which was scheduled to go into effect on Jan. 19, 2025, the day before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
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Trump signed an executive order pushing back the TikTok ban by 90 days and announced a second extension in April just as a group of US investors were about to devise a plan that would allow TikTok to be controlled by a majority-US company, with a minority stake being held by ByteDance.
What is the TikTok ban law?
The backstory:
The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA), which passed with bipartisan support in 2024 and was signed by President Joe Biden, cites national security concerns over the company’s ties to the Chinese government. It mandates that ByteDance sell TikTok’s U.S. operations by Jan. 19 or face a ban.
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If the sale is not completed by that date, TikTok will be blocked from U.S. app stores, and existing users will lose access to updates and support. ByteDance contested the law, claiming it violates First Amendment rights, but the court’s actions mean it will move forward with the deadline.
Will TikTok be sold?
Big picture view:
While ByteDance has not confirmed plans to sell, several groups have expressed interest in acquiring TikTok’s US operations:
- Perplexity AI – The artificial intelligence startup proposed a merger deal that would combine its business with TikTok’s US platform.
- Frank McCourt’s consortium – The billionaire investor, along with Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, has reportedly offered $20 billion in cash to buy TikTok and implement blockchain-based user control.
- Jesse Tinsley’s group – This coalition, which includes Roblox’s CEO, is offering more than $30 billion for the platform.
- Microsoft – Trump has suggested the tech giant may be exploring a bid, though no formal offer has been reported.
- Steve Mnuchin & Rumble – Trump’s former Treasury secretary and the conservative video platform have also signaled interest in forming a buying group.
President Trump has also floated the idea of the US government taking a 50% stake in TikTok, though it remains unclear how that would work in practice.
If no deal is reached, the US could attempt to block access to TikTok nationwide. Currently, TikTok continues to operate normally in the US, but the coming weeks could determine whether millions of American users will need to say goodbye to the platform—or see it under new ownership.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by Donald Trump’s social media post, previous LIVENOW from FOX reporting, and the Associated Press. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.