Trump Extends TikTok Deadline by 75 Days After China Blocks Spinoff Deal Amid Escalating Trade War

With China halting ByteDance’s US asset spinoff plan, President Trump signs an executive order to delay TikTok ban, aiming to keep the app running during tense tariff talks.

April 5, 2025: Top 10 Key Highlights:

Also Read: Trump’s Tariffs Threaten Apple’s ‘Make In India’ Push, Raise iPhone Prices & Export Concerns

1. Trump Extends TikTok Deadline
   US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to delay the TikTok ban by 75 days, keeping the app operational as talks with China continue.
2. “We Want to Save TikTok” – Trump
   Trump stated his administration has made “tremendous progress” on a deal to save TikTok, but more time is needed to secure final approvals.
3. Tariffs at the Heart of the Deadlock
   Amid the reciprocal 26% US tariff on India and 34% on China, Beijing halted its approval for ByteDance’s TikTok US spinoff deal, citing economic retaliation.
4. Trump Defends Tariffs, Calls TikTok Vital
   In a Truth Social post, Trump defended his tariffs as “essential for fair trade and national security,” adding, “We do not want TikTok to go dark.”
5. Spinoff Deal in Limbo
   ByteDance was nearing a deal to create a US-based TikTok entity, with less than 20% ByteDance ownership, but China reportedly withheld approval after Trump’s tariffs.
6. ByteDance Confirms Talks, Cites Legal Hurdles
   A ByteDance spokesperson acknowledged discussions with the US government are ongoing but clarified “key matters remain unresolved”, including compliance with Chinese law.
7. China’s Embassy Responds
   The Chinese Embassy in Washington reaffirmed Beijing’s stance on protecting enterprise rights and opposing economic coercion, signaling disapproval of the forced sale.
8. TikTok Ban Was Hours Away
   The new executive order came just one day before TikTok was set to be banned in the US under national security grounds if no deal was reached.
9. Biden’s Earlier Mandate for ByteDance
   Trump’s extension follows a law passed during Joe Biden’s presidency, requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok or face a ban, citing data privacy and espionage concerns.
10. What’s Next?
    With the tariff war intensifying, the fate of TikTok hangs in the balance, as negotiations now face geopolitical obstacles far beyond the app’s algorithm or data policies.

Also Read: Trump Enters Trade Talks with India, Israel & Vietnam as Tariff Deadline Looms

📌 Context:
This latest move underscores how social media platforms like TikTok have become strategic chess pieces in global economic conflicts. Trump’s strategy to weaponize tariffs and delay regulatory action shows a desire to maintain leverage while securing US corporate interests.

Also Read: “They Played It Wrong, Panicked”: Trump Taunts China Amid Escalating Global Tariff War

👀 Watch This Space:
Expect updates from both the White House and Beijing in the coming weeks. Whether TikTok survives this geopolitical tech standoff could define the future of digital diplomacy.

🏷️ Tags:
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