Trump expected to extend deadline again for TikTok U.S. divestment

The Trump administration is expected to delay enforcement of a law requiring Chinese tech firm ByteDance to sell or shut down its U.S. operations of TikTok, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Sunday days ahead of a 17 September deadline.

If confirmed, the move would mark the fourth such reprieve granted by U.S. President Donald Trump since taking office in January.

ByteDance was initially given until January 2025 to comply with legislation passed by Congress, citing national security concerns over potential Chinese surveillance or censorship via the app.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Trump gave an ambiguous response when asked about TikTok's future.

“I may or may not, we're negotiating TikTok right now. We may let it die, or we may, I don't know, it depends, up to China,” he said. “It doesn't matter too much. I'd like to do it for the kids.”

The White House has not commented on the expected extension, but the delay reflects the administration's hesitance to shut down an app reportedly used by 170 million Americans.

A previous attempt to spin off TikTok’s U.S. business into a company controlled by U.S. investors stalled in the spring, after Beijing signalled it would block any deal involving TikTok’s proprietary algorithm.

Progress on negotiations has since been slow.

On Sunday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer held trade talks in Madrid, Spain with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and top negotiator Li Chenggang.

TikTok was formally included on the agenda for the first time, the source said, though a deal is not expected before the 17 September deadline.

The latest round of negotiations - the fourth in four months - took place at the baroque Palacio de Santa Cruz that houses Spain's foreign ministry and concluded its first day on Sunday after about six hours with no indication of a breakthrough.

China's embassy in Madrid notified reporters of a potential concluding news conference on Monday afternoon, indicating that the talks could wrap up quickly. Some previous discussions over more complicated issues, such as talks in London over rare earths shipments, extended to a third day.

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