If you thought that the drama associated with TikTok was limited only to viral dancing, you are completely mistaken. This app has been engrossing millions of users with its catchy tunes and hilarious challenges and is now at the heart of an international battle. Just as all TikTokers were gearing themselves up for a big goodbye and possibly some farewell lip-syncs, everything acted as a plot twist. President Donald Trump came like an unexpected cameo in a viral video and delayed the ban by 75 days.

President Donald Trump has extended the deadline for TikTok’s ban by an additional 75 days in order to allow negotiations for a potential deal between U.S investors and ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent, to move ahead. The ban was initially to go into effect on April 5, and will now be deferred under this new executive order.

Trump’s Announcement on Truth Social

Trump announced the decision on Truth Social and wrote,

“My Administration has been working very hard on a Deal to SAVE TIKTOK, and we have made tremendous progress. The Deal requires more work to ensure all necessary approvals are signed, which is why I am signing an Executive Order to keep TikTok up and running for an additional 75 days.”

Trump acknowledged trade tensions between China and the U.S in his Post, saying,

“We hope to continue working in Good Faith with China, who I understand are not very happy about our Reciprocal Tariffs (Necessary for Fair and Balanced Trade between China and the U.S.A!). This proves that Tariffs are the most powerful Economic tool, and very important to our National Security! We do not want TikTok to ‘go dark.’ We look forward to working with TikTok and China to close the Deal. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

Deadline Postponement

Before the most recent extension, TikTok had gone offline for a brief period and was taken down from both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, though it was restored later on. This is the second time the deadline has been extended. Originally, under a law signed by former President Joe Biden, ByteDance was given a deadline of January 19 to sell the U.S operations of TikTok. On the first day of Trump’s term, an executive order granted a 75-day extension, and now yet another order provides ByteDance with greater time to negotiate a settlement.

Proposal by U.S Investors

Trump has allegedly reviewed a proposal from a group of U.S investors that include Oracle, Blackstone, and Andreessen Horowitz, as reported by Bloomberg. The consortium is viewed as a principal contender to acquire TikTok’s U.S operations, but any such agreement will require approval from China.

Tariff Policy’s Role

This announcement comes just two days after Trump’s sweeping tariffs, including 34% on imports from China. The president has indicated a willingness to ease tariffs as part of any larger deal involving TikTok, though no formal changes have been made to the tariff policy beyond the vague mention of negotiations.In this conditional negotiation setting, the extended deadline stands as a short-term stay for TikTok users and creators in the U.S, while ensuring that both parties are under pressure to reach a resolution.

It may seem like yet another twist in the never ending TikTok saga, but it raises questions much bigger in scope like, digital sovereignty, the role of politics in platform governance, and whether America’s economic diplomacy is really being outsourced to tech investors. Giving TikTok 75 more days isn’t just in the interest of saving dance trends, it is redefining where power lies in the 21st century, in government offices or in app stores.