Last week President Donald Trump issued another 90-day extension in order to get a deal on TikTok, a popular social media application owned by the Chinese Communist Party and used as a mass espionage tool inside the United States.
"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. 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.!)," Trump posted on Truth Social Friday. "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!"
But a deal appears to be off the table as the CCP refuses to sell the application to a private U.S. company.
Scoop: @WhiteHouse officials now concede the potential @tiktok_us deal — sale to a US company by the Chinese—is off the table for the foreseeable future and maybe forever as we go to a trade war focused totally on the Chinese. Story developing
— Charles Gasparino (@CGasparino) April 9, 2025
AppLovin CEO Adam Foroughi, one leader of many companies bidding for ownership of the application, broke down the negotiations and national security concerns ahead of the latest extension.
.@AppLovin CEO Adam Foroughi: Our TikTok Bid Is Uniquehttps://t.co/9Gb6At4EEw pic.twitter.com/t2kNHCgcxR
— Mr Producer (@RichSementa) April 4, 2025
Last year Congress passed bipartisan legislation to ban the application in the United States. That law was held up unanimously by the Supreme Court in January, rejecting the argument a ban violates the First Amendment rights of Americans.
"There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community. But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary. For the foregoing reasons, we conclude that the challenged provisions do not violate petitioners’ First Amendment rights," the ruling states. "The judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is affirmed."
BlackRock, Amazon and other companies have expressed interest in obtaining the company. Regardless, the CCP won't sell because the data and opportunity for blackmail is too valuable.
The threat of TikTok is its PRC-based ownership. One concern is the ability for reams of data on American users to wind up in the hands of the CCP, as Chinese companies are required to do if asked.
Second, is the potential for weaponized influence. Social media platforms are modern-day radio and TV stations, but instead of producers, opaque algorithms select the content shown to users.
Foreign powers including China and Russia weaponize these platforms to promote propaganda and stoke divisions within democracies. Allowing an entity accountable to the CCP to decide who is shown what content and when is the height of folly.
It would be too easy for China to insist TikTok promote content against the U.S. and demote content involving topics it doesn't like, such as Taiwan or Xinjiang. And too hard for us as observers to tell it's happening.
TikTok needs to be sold.