U.S. President Donald Trump announced in a recent NBC interview that he may extend TikTok’s June 19 divestment deadline if a deal hasn’t been reached by then. 🕒 The app, owned by the Chinese mainland-based ByteDance, remains a hot topic in ongoing U.S.-China trade negotiations, with Trump citing its role in his 2024 election appeal: "TikTok is very interesting, but it will be protected." 🎥
This marks the third potential delay to a congressionally mandated ban on TikTok, which Trump initially paused in January. A proposed deal to spin off TikTok’s U.S. operations stalled after China disapproved, coinciding with Trump’s tariffs on Chinese goods. 🇺🇸🇨🇳
Democrats argue Trump lacks authority to unilaterally extend deadlines, while ByteDance says negotiations are ongoing but "no agreement has been reached due to unresolved key issues." China’s approval remains crucial, with Trump claiming tariffs are pressuring Beijing to negotiate. 💼
With 170 million U.S. users, TikTok’s fate hinges on resolving intertwined tech and trade tensions. Will it survive stateside? Gen-Z voters (and dance trends) are watching. 💃📱
