Trump Extends TikTok Ban Pause Amid New US-China Deal Framework; Xi Talks Imminent

Washington D.C. – President Donald Trump has once again delayed the enforcement of a bipartisan law aimed at banning TikTok, extending the pause until at least December 16. This marks the fourth time the administration has pushed back the ban, which targets the video-sharing app’s ties to its China-based parent company, ByteDance.

The executive order, signed on Tuesday, follows Monday’s announcement from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who confirmed that U.S. and Chinese negotiators have agreed to a “framework” to resolve the contentious dispute over TikTok’s ownership. President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are slated to speak on Friday to finalize the details of the agreement.

The law, upheld by the Supreme Court, mandates that ByteDance divest from TikTok or face removal from U.S. app stores and web-hosting services. Despite its enactment prior to Trump’s second inauguration, the President has repeatedly issued orders preventing the Justice Department from penalizing companies like Apple and Google for continuing to host the app.

Concerns over TikTok’s potential use by China for espionage, data collection, or propaganda have been raised by members of Congress and national security officials for years. While Trump unsuccessfully attempted to ban the app during his first term, he has since praised TikTok for its role in engaging young voters and has downplayed security risks as “highly overrated” in his second term, with the White House even launching its own TikTok account.

Sources familiar with the ongoing negotiations, which were a key topic during Bessent’s recent trade talks with Chinese officials in Spain, indicate that the latest proposed deal involves technology giant Oracle and private equity firm Silver Lake. Previous attempts at a resolution, including an apparent deal in April, have faltered.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington reiterated its commitment to defending national interests and Chinese companies, stating it would conduct technology export approvals according to relevant laws and regulations while respecting market principles. However, lawmakers continue to express concerns that any deal not fully divesting TikTok from ByteDance, particularly concerning its algorithm, would violate existing law.

Legal experts, such as University of Minnesota law professor Alan Rozenshtein, question the President’s authority to unilaterally suspend the enforcement of an unambiguous law. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s letters to tech companies, made public in early July, stated that an “abrupt shutdown” would interfere with the President’s constitutional duties, declaring companies could continue offering TikTok without legal liability. This assertion of presidential power has been criticized by some legal scholars, while others suggest non-enforcement might be a strategic move to facilitate a sale rather than devalue the company through a shutdown.

Despite the administration’s stance, some lawmakers, including Senator Josh Hawley and Representative Dan Newhouse, continue to call for the law to be enforced as written, underscoring the ongoing legislative pushback.

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