TikTok dodges U.S. ban -- again -- as Trump administration pushes deadline back

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in General Discussion edited June 6

In a move that has almost become tradition, the Trump administration has once again hit pause on the TikTok ban, leaving the app's fate mired in uncertainty.

Hands reaching toward a TikTok logo in a blue sky, one wrist is handcuffed with open cuffs.
Image Credit: lechenie-narkomanii on Pixabay



The TikTok ban saga continues to drag on, largely thanks to trade tensions between the U.S. and China. Now, another delay seems likely, even as the app's future remains unresolved.

As The Wall Street Journal has learned, President Trump is planning on pushing back the ban date -- for the third time. Allegedly, talks were underway for a sale, but the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China that Trump lit off in April has caused the deal to be pushed onto the back burner.

Maybe the only surprising thing about it all is that the delay comes somewhat before the eleventh hour. Previously, Trump had a habit of delaying bans very close to when they were to go into effect -- or somewhat after.

The first time Trump rolled back the ban was on January 20, the day he took office for his second term. The ban went into effect two days prior under the Biden Administration.

At that point, he gave TikTok two and a half months to sell to an American company or face a nationwide ban. The ban was initially set to go into effect on April 5, but the president wound up delaying it on April 4.

The executive order gave TikTok another 75-day extension, which would have given the company until June 18 to divest or face a ban. Just under two weeks before the ban is the longest gap yet between the date of extension and the deadline.

ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, has said that there are currently no agreements in place. It pointed out that any agreement would need approval under Chinese law.

A brief history lesson



TikTok's fate has been murky since mid-2020, when the Trump administration had planned to ban the app unless the company divested to a US buyer.

For nearly all of the Biden administration, it seemed as though the ban was off the table. Then, in April 2024, Biden signed a law requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok ownership to a US buyer within nine months.

Days before the ban was set to take effect, then President-Elect Trump promised Americans TikTok would continue operating in the US.

Trump has seemingly had a change of heart on TikTok. He staunchly disliked it in his first term and advocated for a ban. Since then, he's come to see it as a "crucial tool" for reaching younger voters.

"I'd like to save TikTok," Trump told reporters in late May. "I mean, TikTok was very good to me."

What became of TikTok America



For a while, Trump thought he had found an ideal middle ground.

The plan would have involved creating a new company, called "TikTok America" and divvy ownership up in a way that favors US investors. TikTok America would be 50% owned by new US investors, 30% by existing investors, and 19.9% by ByteDance.

The Chinese government doesn't appear to be particularly fond of that plan. And, that plan hasn't gained much steam in the US.

It remains to be seen whether or not perpetual extensions is the path the Trump Administration intends to follow going forward. And, the legality of the extensions is murky -- but ultimately hasn't been challenged effectively.



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    Maybe Trump wants a piece of that 50% US ownership pie. A big, beautiful piece. 
    sconosciuto12Strangersdanox
     3Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 2 of 15
    Maybe Trump wants a piece of that 50% US ownership pie. A big, beautiful piece. 
    I agree, he wants either a slice or cash in a brown bag....until then "no decision"...
    sconosciutoFarago12Strangersdavendanox
     5Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 3 of 15
    Okay...lots of weird things. 3 things - 

    1- can a president just decide not to enforce a law? One where the stated reason is based on implied foreign manipulation?

    2- The Dem's were idiots for passing this in the first place. The nature of the stated concerns are obviously ridiculous.

    3- I don't have a 3 I guess...but this is really silly.
    sconosciutowilliamlondonmuthuk_vanalingam12Strangerseriodanox
     4Likes 2Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 4 of 15
    *cha-ching*
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 5 of 15
    Okay...lots of weird things. 3 things - 

    1- can a president just decide not to enforce a law? One where the stated reason is based on implied foreign manipulation?

    2- The Dem's were idiots for passing this in the first place. The nature of the stated concerns are obviously ridiculous.

    3- I don't have a 3 I guess...but this is really silly.

    Yeah, blame the Dems.  Who instigated it?
    12Strangersmdw
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 6 of 15
    sconosciutosconosciuto Posts: 374member
    Okay...lots of weird things. 3 things - 

    1- can a president just decide not to enforce a law? One where the stated reason is based on implied foreign manipulation?

    2- The Dem's were idiots for passing this in the first place. The nature of the stated concerns are obviously ridiculous.

    3- I don't have a 3 I guess...but this is really silly.

    Yeah, blame the Dems.  Who instigated it?
    “the Dems” - which includes Joe Biden - gave into sinophobia and helped make it a law. 
    Farago12StrangersMplsPeriowilliamlondonmdwdanox
     1Like 6Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 7 of 15
    Faragofarago Posts: 11member
    Once more with feeling…TACO
    12StrangersMplsPerioITGUYINSDdanox
     5Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 8 of 15
    MplsPmplsp Posts: 4,149member
    Farago said:
    Once more with feeling…TACO
    Was going to say the exact same thing!
    ITGUYINSDdanox
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 9 of 15
    MplsPmplsp Posts: 4,149member

    Okay...lots of weird things. 3 things - 

    1- can a president just decide not to enforce a law? One where the stated reason is based on implied foreign manipulation?

    2- The Dem's were idiots for passing this in the first place. The nature of the stated concerns are obviously ridiculous.

    3- I don't have a 3 I guess...but this is really silly.

    Yeah, blame the Dems.  Who instigated it?
    “the Dems” - which includes Joe Biden - gave into sinophobia and helped make it a law. 
    Check your facts before you reveal your political biases and how they keep you from thinking rationally. The Tik Tok ban was started by Trump in 2020.

    https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-technology-foreign-policy-politics-business-1f636191b0b9e28c7041fb64fb547801
    eriowilliamlondonITGUYINSDmacxpressdavenmdwsconosciutodanox
     6Likes 2Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 10 of 15
    ITGUYINSDitguyinsd Posts: 578member
    MplsP said:

    Okay...lots of weird things. 3 things - 

    1- can a president just decide not to enforce a law? One where the stated reason is based on implied foreign manipulation?

    2- The Dem's were idiots for passing this in the first place. The nature of the stated concerns are obviously ridiculous.

    3- I don't have a 3 I guess...but this is really silly.

    Yeah, blame the Dems.  Who instigated it?
    “the Dems” - which includes Joe Biden - gave into sinophobia and helped make it a law. 
    Check your facts before you reveal your political biases and how they keep you from thinking rationally. The Tik Tok ban was started by Trump in 2020.

    https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-technology-foreign-policy-politics-business-1f636191b0b9e28c7041fb64fb547801
    Facts aren't a big thing in MAGA world.  Just blame the Dem's for everything and then ignore when the facts come rolling in.  If I had a dollar for every time a MAGA was proven wrong with facts and still wouldn't admit they were wrong, I'd have more money than Musk!
    edited June 7
    macxpressdavenMplsPmdwdanox
     5Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 11 of 15
    ITGUYINSDitguyinsd Posts: 578member
    Okay...lots of weird things. 3 things - 

    1- can a president just decide not to enforce a law? One where the stated reason is based on implied foreign manipulation?

    2- The Dem's were idiots for passing this in the first place. The nature of the stated concerns are obviously ridiculous.

    3- I don't have a 3 I guess...but this is really silly.
    With regards to #1, not only can (and do) they choose to not enforce laws, but when it benefits them, they pull century-old laws out their arse and bend and fold them into something else to apply to something they want to get done today.  EVERYTHING our King wants to do and he knows Congress (remember those people who were supposed to pass legislation but now just keep their thumb warm sitting on it?) won't approve is now a NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE EMERGENCY.  
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 12 of 15
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,745member
    Okay...lots of weird things. 3 things - 

    1- can a president just decide not to enforce a law? One where the stated reason is based on implied foreign manipulation?

    2- The Dem's were idiots for passing this in the first place. The nature of the stated concerns are obviously ridiculous.

    3- I don't have a 3 I guess...but this is really silly.

    Yeah, blame the Dems.  Who instigated it?
    “the Dems” - which includes Joe Biden - gave into sinophobia and helped make it a law. 

    House Republicans move ahead with TikTok vote even as Trump voices opposition to possible ban

     https://apnews.com/article/trump-tiktok-ban-biden-facebook-cnbc-tik-tok-72768a92439de45b38e88cc255504ab5
    davenMplsPdanox
     3Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 13 of 15
    Xedxed Posts: 3,219member
    Okay...lots of weird things. 3 things - 

    1- can a president just decide not to enforce a law? One where the stated reason is based on implied foreign manipulation?

    2- The Dem's were idiots for passing this in the first place. The nature of the stated concerns are obviously ridiculous.

    3- I don't have a 3 I guess...but this is really silly.

    Yeah, blame the Dems.  Who instigated it?
    “the Dems” - which includes Joe Biden - gave into sinophobia and helped make it a law. 
    You are right to blame “the Dems” that did vote for it, but why put the onus on them and not the Republicans that got it passed with a substantially higher percentage of what is a rare bipartisan vote.



    PS: Biden has no vote in the House or Senate. What he said is that he would be prepared to sign the bill if it passes both chambers — which he signed in April 2024, for which I disagree wholeheartedly, but I do understand the nuance of why it did make sense to sign a bipartisan bill.
    edited June 7
    MplsPdanox
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 14 of 15
    danoxdanox Posts: 3,821member
    Must be Trump Taco Tuesday……
    mattinozkimbentsenneoncathammeroftruth
     3Likes 1Dislike 0Informatives
  • Reply 15 of 15
    MplsP said:

    Okay...lots of weird things. 3 things - 

    1- can a president just decide not to enforce a law? One where the stated reason is based on implied foreign manipulation?

    2- The Dem's were idiots for passing this in the first place. The nature of the stated concerns are obviously ridiculous.

    3- I don't have a 3 I guess...but this is really silly.

    Yeah, blame the Dems.  Who instigated it?
    “the Dems” - which includes Joe Biden - gave into sinophobia and helped make it a law. 
    Check your facts before you reveal your political biases and how they keep you from thinking rationally. The Tik Tok ban was started by Trump in 2020.

    https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-technology-foreign-policy-politics-business-1f636191b0b9e28c7041fb64fb547801
    https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/23/tech/congress-tiktok-ban-what-next/

    ߤ氟䦰臘ߤ氟䦰臘ߤ氟䦰ߙ䰟鄰ߙ䰟鄰ߙ䰟鄰


    yes, my acquaintance with objective reality is definitely an unmistakeable sign of my liberal bias. Hoo boy, you sure showed me what's what with your sick burn.
    edited June 8
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
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