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There are 170 million TikTok users in the US, and they've patiently awaited an update on the looming ban of the platform, amid failure to sell.
Trump extended the deadline to 17 September for China-based ByteDance to divest the US assets of TikTok, but there's speculation this could be extended again, with just two days to go.
That's because Beijing and Washington delegates then met in July and made further progress on trade tariff agreements, putting in place a 10 November extension. It begs the question: Would they really want to ruin the relationship over a social media platform?
It comes amid reports that TikTok is developing a brand new version of its app for US users.
A sale agreement is in place, The Information reported earlier this month, which would see a new, separate version of the app launched in the US.
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US and Chinese officials are holding a second day of trade talks in Spain today (15 September) before the deadline comes back around, however, Trump has given a major update that may change everything.
Despite being highly critical of the app before joining it himself, Trump has since extended the deadline to find a buyer three times.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday (14 September), Trump said: "We may let [TikTok] die. Or we may… I don't know. It depends. Up to China, it doesn't matter too much."
So, are we finally moving on from this?
Well, it's unconfirmed.
As recently as July, other senior political figures in the US made it clear that they still want ByteDance to sell up.
What has the U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said about a potential TikTok ban?
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U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in July that unless China approves a deal for the sale of the Chinese-owned app, it will have to stop being used in the US.
Speaking on CNBC, Lutnick said: "China can have a little piece or ByteDance, the current owner, can keep a little piece. But basically, Americans will have control. Americans will own the technology, and Americans will control the algorithm.”
He added: "If that deal gets approved by the Chinese, then that deal will happen. If they don't approve it, then TikTok is going to go dark, and those decisions are coming very soon.”
What would happen if TikTok was banned in the US?
The message saw on their phones back in JanuaryTikTok
As we saw earlier this year, the law of Congress forces intermediary companies such as Apple and Google – which control the iOS and Android app stores respectively – to stop providing access to TikTok.
"It shall be unlawful for an entity to distribute, maintain, or update – or enable the distribution, maintenance, or updating of – a foreign adversary controlled application," the law states.
Back in January, the app ‘went dark’. Around 10:30 p.m. on January 19, TikTok users opened the platform to find the following message: “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now.
“We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”
How could TikTok get around the ban?
TikTok is reportedly developing a new, separate application specifically for its US users, with a planned launch in September.
Speaking earlier in July, Trump said that the US “pretty much” had a deal on the sale of the TikTok short-video app.
“I think we’re gonna start Monday or Tuesday ... talking to China – perhaps President Xi or one of his representatives – but we would, we pretty much have a deal,” Trump said.
Trump's history with TikTok
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While Trump has made TikTok a pretty significant part of his Presidency so far, vowing to protect the platform, he actually called for it to be banned in 2020.
Trump previously tried to get it banned on national security grounds – and people aren’t letting him forget.
The former president garnered over three million followers in just two days after joining the app in July 2024, and his decision to join the platform was widely regarded as an attempt to reach out to young Gen Z voters.
However, back in 2020, he tried to get it banned.
“As far as TikTok is concerned, we’re banning them from the United States,” then-president Trump declared to reporters aboard Air Force One in July 2020.
The very next month, Trump tried to ban TikTok through an executive order that said “the spread in the United States of mobile applications developed and owned” by Chinese companies was a national security threat.
While Trump is being held up by many as the person to save the platform – commentators are pointing out that he only decided not to ban it after releasing it could be a tool for connecting with younger voters.
Why not read…
- All the people that could buy TikTok as second ban deadline looms
- Donald Trump wanted to ban TikTok in 2020 – and people aren’t letting him forget
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