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Well, folks, it’s another twist in the TikTok saga that’s been dragging on longer than a reality TV season finale. On Friday, April 4, 2025, President Donald Trump took to his favorite megaphone, Truth Social, to drop a bombshell: he’s pushing the pause button on the TikTok ban for another 75 days. That’s right— just as the clock was ticking down to this weekend, when his initial 75-day delay was set to expire, Trump swooped in with an executive order to keep the app “up and running.” So, if you’re one of the 170 million Americans hooked on those dance challenges and lip-sync videos, you can breathe a sigh of relief… for now.

Another delay

Trump’s announcement came hot on the heels of a wild week. On Wednesday, he’d rolled out a hefty new tariff plan, slapping a 34 percent tax on goods coming from China (on top of existing levies, bringing the total to a whopping 54 percent). He’s been dangling these tariffs like a bargaining chip, hinting he’d ease up if China played ball on a TikTok deal. But with the deadline looming— originally set for April 5 after his first delay back in January— it seems Trump blinked first. Instead of letting TikTok “go dark” (his words, not mine), he’s giving it another lifeline.

In his Truth Social post, Trump sounded like a guy who’s both proud of his progress and a little frustrated with the holdup. “My Administration has been working very hard on a Deal to SAVE TIKTOK, and we have made tremendous progress,” he wrote. “The Deal requires more work to ensure all necessary approvals are signed.” Translation? They’re close, but not quite there— and he’s not ready to pull the plug just yet.

Why the delay? tariffs and tangles

So, what’s gumming up the works? According to a report from the Associated Press, the White House thought they had a deal locked in by Wednesday— a plan to spin TikTok’s U.S. operations into a new American-owned company, with its Chinese parent, ByteDance, keeping a minority stake (less than 20 percent, per the law’s rules). Vice President JD Vance’s team had been burning the midnight oil for months, hashing it out with ByteDance and a slew of potential U.S. investors. Everyone— existing investors, new players, ByteDance, and the Trump crew— had apparently signed off. Even better, they figured China would give it the green light.

Then Trump dropped his tariff bomb, and Beijing hit the brakes. Sources told AP and Reuters that ByteDance reps called the White House on Thursday, saying China wouldn’t approve the deal unless they could talk trade and tariffs first. Suddenly, a near-done deal turned into a geopolitical hot potato. Trump’s response? Extend the deadline to mid-June and keep the app alive while they sort it out.

ByteDance, for its part, broke its usual silence with a rare public statement on Friday. “ByteDance has been in discussion with the U.S. Government regarding a potential solution for TikTok U.S.,” it said on its website. “An agreement has not been executed. There are key matters to be resolved. Any agreement will be subject to approval under Chinese law.” What those “key matters” are, they didn’t say— but it’s a safe bet tariffs are high on the list.

The backstory: a law, a ban, and a reprieve

If you’re just tuning in, here’s the quick rewind. Last year, Congress passed the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act with bipartisan support, targeting TikTok over national security fears. The worry? That ByteDance, based in China, could let Beijing snoop on American user data or push propaganda through the app’s addictive algorithm. The law gave ByteDance until January 19, 2025, to sell TikTok to a non-Chinese buyer or face a nationwide ban. The Supreme Court upheld it unanimously, and when the deadline hit, TikTok went offline for about 14 hours— a brief blackout that freaked out millions of users.

Enter Trump, fresh off his inauguration on January 20. On his first day, he signed an executive order delaying enforcement for 75 days, vowing to “save TikTok” and broker a deal. The app flickered back to life, though it took weeks for Apple and Google to feel comfy putting it back in their stores, given the law’s hefty penalties (think billions in fines). Since then, Trump’s been playing dealmaker-in-chief, with the White House acting more like an investment bank than a government office.

Who’s in the game?

So, who’s circling TikTok like sharks around a juicy deal? Plenty of big names have been floated. Oracle’s been a frontrunner, with Politico reporting it might oversee TikTok’s U.S. data and keep it walled off from China. Then there’s Blackstone, Amazon, billionaire Frank McCourt, AppLovin, and even AI startup Perplexity— all reportedly in the mix. Earlier this week, Amazon tossed in a last-minute bid, and Walmart’s been rumored too (though it denied it to Reuters). It’s a who’s-who of tech and finance heavyweights, all eyeing a piece of TikTok’s 170 million U.S. users and its secretive, goldmine algorithm.

But here’s the kicker: ByteDance hasn’t budged. Despite the pressure, it’s repeatedly said it has no plans to sell— not now, not ever. And with China holding veto power over any deal (thanks to its export laws on tech like TikTok’s algorithm), this isn’t just a business transaction— it’s a high-stakes chess match between Washington and Beijing.

Related /

• TikTok ban overturned? China sets conditions for any deal

Trump’s tariff tango

Trump’s not shy about his love for tariffs. “This proves that Tariffs are the most powerful Economic tool, and very important to our National Security!” he crowed in his Friday post. He’s been teasing tariff cuts as a carrot for China since March, telling reporters he’d “maybe give them a little reduction” to seal the TikTok deal. But after Wednesday’s 34 percent hike— part of a broader “reciprocal trade” push that’s tanked stocks and rattled allies, per The Washington Post— China’s clearly not in a giving mood. Trump’s betting his trade war leverage will bring them back to the table, but so far, it’s only muddied the waters.

What’s next for TikTok fans?

For now, TikTok’s safe— at least until mid-June. But this rollercoaster’s far from over. Legal experts like Alan Rozenshtein from the University of Minnesota have pointed out Trump’s extensions might not hold up if challenged in court, since the law only allows one 90-day delay with Congressional approval— and he’s already stretched it twice without that, per AP News. No one’s sued yet, though, and Congress has been oddly quiet despite its earlier bipartisan fury over TikTok’s risks.

If you’re a TikTok addict, keep your app updated and your eyes peeled. The last time it went dark, it was a mess— and while Trump’s all-in on saving it (he even credits it for helping him win young voters in 2024), the law’s still lurking. Without a deal that satisfies both U.S. security hawks and China’s approval, we could be back to square one come summer.

As Trump put it, “We do not want TikTok to ‘go dark.’ We look forward to working with TikTok and China to close the Deal.” Whether that’s wishful thinking or a master plan. For now, keep scrolling— TikTok’s got another 75 days to dance.