Trump says he’ll prolong TikTok deadline once more as ByteDance divestiture talks stall over tariffs – Firstpost

US President Donald Trump signalled he’s prepared to as soon as once more prolong the deadline for China-based ByteDance to divest TikTok’s US belongings, suspending a possible high-stakes tech and geopolitical standoff deeper into the summer season.

In an interview for NBC’s “Meet the Press,” set to air Sunday (Might 4), Trump stated he would prolong the June 19 deadline if a deal hasn’t been finalised, including that he has a “candy spot” for the app that helped him join with youthful voters throughout his 2024 marketing campaign.

“TikTok is – it’s very attention-grabbing, however will probably be protected.” Trump stated from his Mar-a-Lago property.

The reprieve marks the third time Trump has delayed enforcement of a regulation mandating that TikTok stop operations within the US until ByteDance relinquishes management of the app’s American enterprise. The unique compliance date was January 19, the day earlier than Trump was sworn in for a second time period. He pushed that to early April after which to June 19.

Talks of a possible spinout deal, wherein TikTok’s US operations could be transferred to a brand new entity owned and managed by American buyers, have been ongoing. Nevertheless, momentum reportedly stalled after Beijing bristled at Trump’s shock announcement of sweeping new tariffs on Chinese language imports, together with a 145 per cent levy on electrical automobiles, final month. China has to this point signaled it could not greenlight a compelled sale of TikTok, a place it has held persistently.

Reuters cited one supply near ByteDance’s US buyers as saying final month that work on the potential deal continues forward of the June 19 deadline, however the White Home and Beijing would want to resolve the tariff dispute first.

Tariffs complicate TikTok’s future

Trump stays adamant that his new tariff regime is non-negotiable, suggesting that any decreasing would come later — presumably as a part of a broader cope with Beijing. “In some unspecified time in the future, I’m going to decrease them as a result of in any other case, you can by no means do enterprise with them,” he instructed NBC. “They usually need to do enterprise very a lot.”

His feedback come amid sharp pushback from Democratic lawmakers, a lot of whom argue that Trump lacks authorized authority to proceed extending the divestiture deadline, notably after Congress handed laws compelling ByteDance to behave.

In addition they query whether or not the construction of the proposed deal would fulfill US nationwide safety considerations about knowledge entry, moderation insurance policies, and algorithmic management— core points that fueled bipartisan help for a compelled sale within the first place.

TikTok’s political edge

Whereas nationwide safety stays the general public rationale for divestment, Trump’s embrace of TikTok’s affect suggests a extra sophisticated calculus. The previous president acknowledged the app’s function in increasing his attain amongst youthful People, a demographic he struggled with in 2020 however improved on in 2024.

That might assist clarify Trump’s reluctance to close down the platform fully, at the same time as he doubles down on his “America First” commerce coverage. “It helped me win,” he stated plainly.

What’s subsequent

With the June 19 deadline looming, stakeholders throughout the board— ByteDance, US buyers, regulators, and the Chinese language authorities — now face one other interval of uncertainty. For TikTok creators and types that depend on the platform’s large US consumer base of 170 million, the extension could supply momentary reduction, however little long-term readability.

The Biden administration had beforehand taken a extra hardline stance on the app, however it’s now Trump’s White Home that should navigate one of the vital consequential tech coverage showdowns in current reminiscence.

With inputs from Reuters