Washington, 15 September 2025 — The U.S. government is poised to grant another extension to ByteDance, the China-based owner of TikTok, giving the company more time to divest TikTok’s U.S. operations or face a ban, sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters.
The current deadline, set for 17 September 2025, is expected to be pushed back. This is the fourth such reprieve ordered by President Donald Trump since the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA) mandated either a divestment or asset shutdown by January 2025. The repeated extensions reflect continued negotiation efforts between U.S. officials, ByteDance, and Chinese authorities.
According to one source, Trump has indicated there are U.S. buyers ready to acquire TikTok’s U.S. business, though formal negotiations have languished, in part due to Beijing’s refusal to approve certain deal terms. Officials have emphasized that China’s stance—including regulatory barriers and sensitivity over foreign control of Chinese‐origin tech—remains a major sticking point.
In Madrid this weekend, high-level trade discussions between U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and their Chinese counterparts — Vice Premier He Lifeng and top trade negotiator Li Chenggang — included the TikTok deadline firmly on the agenda. These talks provide political cover for the extension, sources said, even as Congressional pressure mounts from both parties urging strict action.
TikTok remains hugely popular in the U.S., with over 170 million American users, making any move to ban or force divestment a politically sensitive issue. President Trump has signaled interest in preserving the app—citing its utility in engaging younger voters—even as national security concerns dominate the rhetoric in Washington.
Critics in Congress argue that the repeated delays undercut the intent of PAFACA, which was passed with bipartisan support in 2024 to mitigate risks posed by apps deemed controlled by foreign adversaries. Some lawmakers suggest that the White House’s reluctance to enforce the law reflects unresolved concerns over trade relations, economic leverage, and fears of backlash from China—especially given ongoing disagreements over tariffs.
While significant breakthroughs seem unlikely before the September 17 cutoff, sources believe the extension will once again be granted. The Madrid talks are expected to continue into next week. Beyond the deadline, attention focuses on whether any deal structure can navigate the complexities of U.S. regulatory demands, ByteDance’s Chinese obligations, and the fragility of U.S.-China diplomatic relations.
Additionally, key issues remain unresolved: who the U.S. buyers might be, how much control Beijing retains over TikTok’s data infrastructure or algorithmic processes, and whether any divestment would satisfy both U.S. security concerns and Chinese law.
