On March 31, 2025, President Donald Trump announced that a deal for ByteDance, #TikTok Chinese parent company, to sell its U.S. operations is expected to be finalized before the April 5 deadline. The deadline was set due to national security concerns, specifically fears that the Chinese government could access American user data and influence content through the app.
In January, U.S. President Trump signed an executive order delaying the enforcement of a TikTok ban for 75 days to provide more time for the sale to occur. During this period, various non-Chinese buyers, including private equity firm Blackstone, have shown interest in acquiring TikTok’s U.S. operations.
If the sale is not finalized by April 5, the U.S. government may move forward with a nationwide ban on TikTok, as required by the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA).
