US President Donald Trump said on Apr. 9, 2025 that a potential deal to separate TikTok’s US operations is still “on the table.”

His remarks come after reports indicated that progress on the deal has stalled.

Trump had previously extended the deadline for ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company based in China, to divest its US assets.

The new deadline is Jun. 19, 2025, after which TikTok could face a ban if no agreement is reached.

The proposed plan aims to establish a new US-based entity, primarily owned and operated by American investors to reduce Chinese ownership.

🔗 Source: Reuters

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ National security concerns fueled a years-long regulatory battle

TikTok’s data collection practices have been a primary driver behind legislative action, with the app collecting extensive user information including device details, browsing history, geolocation data, and biometric information like facial geometry 1.

The Chinese National Intelligence Law of 2017 compounds these concerns, as it legally requires Chinese companies to assist with state intelligence work when requested, potentially compromising user data privacy 1.

This fundamental tension explains why bipartisan lawmakers raised alarms about TikTok as early as 2019, with both Democratic and Republican senators expressing concerns about data security and potential foreign influence 2.

The ongoing divestiture saga demonstrates how digital platforms can quickly transform from entertainment applications to national security concerns when they achieve massive scale. TikTok now has 170 million American users whose data could potentially be accessed.

2️⃣ TikTok’s unprecedented growth created an equally unprecedented regulatory challenge

TikTok achieved over 1 billion downloads across 150 markets within just two years of its global launch, creating a digital platform with extraordinary influence before regulatory frameworks could adapt 3.

By 2019, the app had already surpassed both Facebook and Instagram in download numbers, demonstrating exceptional market penetration that made addressing security concerns increasingly difficult as millions of Americans became dependent on the platform 4.

The current divestiture approach, creating a new US-based entity with majority American ownership, attempts to address security concerns while preserving the service that millions of users have integrated into their daily lives.

Recent TikTok developments