President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that grants TikTok another 90-day extension from its requirement to divest or face a US ban.
The order, shared by Trump in a post on Truth Social, marks the third time the administration has postponed the deadline, allowing the social media platform to remain operational in the US while negotiations continue. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed earlier this week on Fox News that the president intended to extend the deadline in order to keep TikTok “up and running.”
“As he has said many times, President Trump does not want TikTok to go dark. This extension will last 90 days, which the administration will spend 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,” Leavitt said.
A TikTok spokesperson responded to the announcement, saying, “We are grateful for President Trump’s leadership and support in ensuring that TikTok continues to be available for more than 170 million American users and 7.5 million U.S. businesses that rely on the platform as we continue to work with Vice President Vance’s Office.”
While it is unclear how many times the Trump administration can continue issuing extensions, there have been no legal challenges to the delays so far. TikTok continues to operate with 170 million users in the US, and major tech firms such as Apple, Google, and Oracle have maintained their support of the platform. The federal government has signaled that these companies will not face penalties as long as the extensions remain in place.
