TikTok is once again counting down to a federal ban, unless some kind of a deal is struck by the end of the week.
The popular social media app faces a Saturday deadline to sell itself to a buyer deemed fit by US officials or face being banned in this country.
However, a lot could happen before then. Several potential bidders have made their interest known in recent months, and it’s entirely possible that President Donald Trump could once again choose to extend the sale deadline.
Most recently, Trump told the press on Air Force One late Sunday that “there’s tremendous interest in TikTok.” He added that he would “like to see TikTok remain alive.” Trump also said that “we have a lot of potential buyers” and that the administration is “dealing with China,” which has long opposed a sale.
Last week, Trump said he would consider lowering tariffs on Chinese goods if that country’s government approved a sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations. He also at that time reiterated his willingness to push the deadline back if needed.
Also last week, a trio of Democratic senators sent Trump a letter requesting information on any efforts to prevent the ban from going into effect and urging the administration to work with Congress on any potential resolutions. The group had previously introduced legislation that would delay the ban until Oct. 16, but it was blocked by Republicans.
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Lawmakers in both political parties have long voiced concerns that TikTok could be a threat to national security and could be used by the Chinese government to spy on Americans or spread disinformation to further China’s agenda. The law requiring the sale was passed by Congress last year with overwhelming bipartisan support and signed into law by then-President Joe Biden.
TikTok continues to deny those accusations, and both it and the Chinese government have said they oppose a sale. It’s unclear if they’ve changed their positions. A spokesperson for TikTok didn’t return a Thursday request for comment.
So what’s next for TikTok? Here’s what you need to know.
Watch this: US vs. TikTok: What Happens Next
What does the law do?
The law is aimed at forcing TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance to sell TikTok to a buyer American officials are OK with, as well as guaranteeing that ByteDance no longer has access to US user data or control over the TikTok algorithm.
TikTok was given nine months to comply, hence the original Jan. 19 sale deadline, at which point the government could require the removal of its app from US app stores and that other tech companies stop supporting the app and website.
TikTok shut down in the US the night of Jan. 18, citing the ban, but came back online the next morning after Trump made assurances that he would not immediately enforce it. Trump later formalized that promise by signing an executive order that directed the attorney general to not enforce the ban for 75 days, effectively moving the deadline to April 5.
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What’s Trump’s take?
After originally calling for a ban during his first presidency, Trump said during the 2024 campaign that he wasn’t in favor of one and pledged to “save TikTok,” though he didn’t specify how he’d do that.
Trump also has floated the idea of the US taking a 50% stake in the company as part of a joint venture, but hasn’t given specifics as to how that would work.
TikTok CEO Shou Chew was one of several high-profile tech executives to attend Trump’s inauguration in January, just hours before Trump would sign the order granting the 75-day extension.
Previous to that, during a press conference in December, Trump pointed to the role TikTok played during the election, crediting it with helping him pick up the votes of young people.
“TikTok had an impact, and so we’re taking a look at it,” Trump said. “I have a little bit of a warm spot in my heart. I’ll be honest.”
Is a deal coming?
Trump told reporters earlier this month that a deal could come soon. He didn’t offer any details about the potential buyers, but said the administration was in talks with “four different groups” about TikTok.
Vice President JD Vance, whom Trump has tapped to help strike a deal, has also expressed confidence that a sale agreement could be largely in place by April 5.
“There will almost certainly be a high-level agreement that I think satisfies our national security concerns, allows there to be a distinct American TikTok enterprise,” Vance said in a March 14 interview with NBC News.
One of the highest-profile bidders to come forward is a consortium led by billionaire investor Frank McCourt that also includes Kevin O’Leary of Shark Tank and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian.
If successful, the group says it would turn the app into an “upgraded internet,” leaving behind TikTok’s algorithm, long considered to be the addictive secret sauce behind the app, in favor of giving users more control over what they see and how their data is used.
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