The Tiktok clock may appear again.
The popular social media app faces a April 5 deadline, selling itself to buyers that U.S. officials see fit, or being banned in the country.
But a lot of things can happen before that. Several potential bidders have known their interests in recent months, and President Donald Trump is likely to opt to extend the sales deadline again.
In fact, Trump said earlier this week If the country’s leader agrees to sell Tiktok, he will consider reducing tariffs on Chinese goods. He also reiterated his willingness to postpone the deadline when needed.
Also this week, three Democratic senators A letter to Trump Ask for information on any efforts to prevent the ban from taking effect and urge the government to work with Congress on any potential resolution. The group had previously proposed a law that delayed the ban until October 16 but was blocked by Republicans.
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Lawmakers in both parties have long expressed concerns Tiktok could pose a threat to national security The Chinese government can use it to monitor Americans or spread false information to further the Chinese agenda. Last year Congress passed overwhelming bipartisan support and the law was signed by then-President Joe Biden.
Tiktok continues to deny the allegations, and it and the Chinese government both expressed opposition to the sale. It is not clear whether they have changed their position. A Tiktok spokesperson did not return a request for comment Thursday.
So what’s next for Tiktok? This is what you need to know.
Watch the following: United States and Tiktok: What’s going to happen next
What does the law do?
The law aims to force Tiktok’s China-based parent company to sell Tiktok to U.S. officials and can guarantee that BONTEDANCE will no longer have access to U.S. user data or control over Tiktok’s algorithm.
Tiktok was given nine months of compliance, so the January 19 sales deadline was initially when the government might need to remove its apps from the U.S. app stores and other tech companies stopped supporting apps and websites.
Tiktok closed in the U.S. on the evening of January 18, citing the ban, but the next morning, Trump promised that he would not immediately enforce the ban. Trump later signed an execution order directing the attorney general not to enforce the ban for 75 days, effectively moving the deadline to April 5.
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What does Trump mean?
After initially calling for a ban during his first presidency, Trump said during the 2024 campaign that he did not support one person and promised to “save Tiktok”, although he did not specify how he did it.
Trump also proposed the idea that the U.S. took 50% of the company’s shares as part of the joint venture, but did not give specific information on how it works.
Tiktok CEO Shou Chew was one of several high-profile tech executives who attended Trump’s inauguration in January, just hours before Trump signed the order to grant a 75-day extension.
It was followed by a December press conference that Trump pointed out Tiktok’s role in the election to help him get votes from young people.
“Tictok made an impact, so we’re studying it,” Trump said. “I have a warm place in my heart. Honestly.”
Is the deal coming soon?
Trump told reporters earlier this month that a deal may be reached soon. He did not provide any details about the potential buyers, but said the government was holding talks with “four different groups” on Tiktok.
Vice President JD Vance, who has helped to reach the deal, also expressed that the sale deal could be reached by April 5.
“There is almost certainly a high-level agreement that I think can be a unique American Tiktok enterprise that meets our national security issues.” Interviewed by NBC News on March 14.
One of the consortiums led by billionaire investor Frank McCourt, including one of the consortiums led by Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian.
If successful, The team said it would turn the app into an “upgraded internet”, Leave Tiktok’s algorithm, long considered the addictive secret sauce behind the app, to give users more control over what they see and how they use the data.
