TikTok Ban Timing: Date, Details in Full

• President Donald Trump signed a second executive order to delay the TikTok ban for a further 75 days.
• Trump’s first extension was due to end on Saturday, April 5.
• ByteDance said there are “key matters to be resolved.”

TikTok has faced mounting scrutiny in the U.S., with some lawmakers concerned that the platform threatens national security and data privacy.

On Friday, April 4, U.S. President Trump deployed a second executive order to allow the platform more time to find a buyer before it faces a complete shutdown.

Donald Trump Further Delays TikTok Ban

One day before Trump’s first extension of TikTok’s ban was due to end, the U.S. President signed a second 75-day delay to the law—granting more time for a deal to be made with Chinese owner ByteDance.

ByteDance said on Friday that “an agreement has not been executed” despite being in discussions with the Trump administration.

“There are key matters to be resolved. Any agreement will be subject to approval under Chinese law,” a spokesperson said.

Writing on Truth Social , Trump said: “We do not want TikTok to ‘go dark.’ We look forward to working with TikTok and China to close the Deal.”

A deal was reportedly almost finalized on Wednesday but collapsed following Trump’s announcement of sweeping global tariffs.

According to CBS News, ByteDance contacted the White House and threatened to withdraw from negotiations unless the tariffs were removed.

Amazon Makes Last-Minute Bid

According to The New York Times, citing people familiar with the matter, Amazon made a last-minute bid to purchase TikTok on Wednesday, April 3, ahead of the platform’s planned ban on Saturday.

The e-commerce and tech giant is understood to have made the offer in a letter to Vice President J.D. Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the sources told the publication.

However, various parties involved in talks of the deal have not appeared to take Amazon’s bid seriously, the sources said.

The last-minute bid makes Amazon the highest-profile bidder for the company.

TikTok Deal Could Be Struck Early

President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday, March 30, that a deal could be struck before the April 5 deadline.

The comments come less than a week before TikTok will be banned in the U.S. if it does not sign an agreement to divest its American arm.

“We have a lot of potential buyers,” Trump told reporters onboard Air Force One on Sunday.

“There’s tremendous interest in Tiktok,” he said, “I’d like to see Tiktok remain alive.”

On March 6, Trump said he would “probably” extend TikTok’s deadline if a deal is not reached by April 5.

Trump Suggests Tariff Relief for China

On Wednesday, March. 26, Trump suggested that he could give China a discount on his new tariffs if it agrees to a U.S. takeover of TikTok.

The U.S. President also said he was willing to extend the deadline if a deal was not finalized.

“With respect to TikTok, and China is going to have to play a role in that, possibly in the form of an approval, maybe, and I think they’ll do that.

“Maybe I’ll give them a little reduction in tariffs or something to get it done,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday, Reuters reported .

Trump imposed a new 20% levy on China with 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada.

The U.S. President has historically always used the threat of tariffs as a bargaining chip.

“It sounds like, sounds like something I’d do,” he said.

Trump in Talks With “Four Different Groups”

On Sunday, March 9, Trump confirmed his administration was in talks with four different groups about the sale of TikTok, Reuters reported .

Talking to reporters on Air Force One, the U.S. President said there could soon be a deal made.

“We’re dealing with four different groups, and a lot of people want it… all four are good,” Trump said.

Multiple high-profile buyers have shown interest in purchasing the U.S. arm of TikTok, including Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and popular YouTuber Mr Beast.

Trump May Extend Deadline

The U.S. President, who has been a staunch defender of the Chinese-owned app, previously stated there was a “lot of interest ” from buyers.

“If I needed an extension, I’d probably get it extended,” Trump said.

“We have a lot of interest in TikTok. And China is going to play a role, so hopefully China will approve of the deal, but they are going to play a role,” he added.

TikTok Ban: Key Dates

April 26, 2024: Joe Biden Signs TikTok Ban

Throughout March and April, a law to force the sale of ByteDance’s TikTok to a U.S. company or face a nationwide ban stormed through Congress.

Despite TikTok attempting to rally content creators and users to tell the government to stop, the bill continued to move toward the White House.

By the end of the month, the law had been signed by the House of Representatives , the Senate, and President Joe Biden .

ByteDance now faced a real possibility of being sold if it did not divest the American arm of TikTok.

April 26, 2024: ByteDance Would ‘Rather Close Than Sell’

On April 26, Reuters reported that TikTok would rather close in the U.S. than sell to a U.S. company.

The China-based company claimed that the algorithms needed to run TikTok were also needed for the company’s overall operations, making the prospect of a sale unrealistic.

ByteDance vowed to fight back against the U.S. bill while claiming the shutdown would have a limited impact on ByteDance’s business.

In documents viewed by The Information , Michael Beckerman, head of public policy for the Americas and TikTok vice president, told staff the legislation was “a clear violation of the First Amendment rights of the 170 million Americans on TikTok.”

At the same time, TikTok spokesperson Alex Haurek said the government was “using the cover of important foreign and humanitarian assistance to once again jam through a ban bill that would trample the free speech rights.”

Dec. 9, 2024: TikTok Files Emergency Injunction

TikTok filed an emergency injunction to delay the Jan. 19 deadline for a nationwide ban in January while the Supreme Court deliberates its appeal.

The appeal followed the platform losing its original appeal against the legislation just a few days earlier.

“The public interest favors providing sufficient time for the Supreme Court to conduct an orderly review process and for the incoming Administration to evaluate this exceptionally important case,” ByteDance and TikTok said in their emergency legal filing.

However, the court rejected TikTok’s bid to delay the ban, with the Justice Department stating it was a matter of pressing national security.

Dec. 28, 2024: Donald Trump Hits TikTok U-Turn

On December 28, President-elect Donald Trump urged the Supreme Court to delay the upcoming ban, giving him time to work on a “political resolution.”

“President Trump opposes banning TikTok in the United States at this juncture and seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office,” Trump’s lawyer, John Sauer, wrote in a filing .

Jan. 10, 2025: Supreme Court Hears TikTok Appeal

The Supreme Court heard arguments from TikTok on Jan. 10, just days before the ban was set to take effect.

Despite the high court previously blocking an injunction against the law, it has allowed TikTok, ByteDance, and the U.S. government to plead their cases.

Jan. 14, 2025: Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Delay Ban

Senator Edward Markey has announced plans to propose a 270-day extension to the ban’s deadline, warning of its social and economic consequences.

“As the January 19th deadline approaches, TikTok creators and users across the nation are understandably alarmed. They are uncertain about the future of the platform, their accounts, and the vibrant online communities they have cultivated,” Markey said on the floor of the U.S. Senate.

“These communities cannot be replicated on another app. A ban would dismantle a one-of-a-kind informational and cultural ecosystem, silencing millions in the process,” he added.

Markey joined two other lawmakers in submitting a brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse a lower court’s decision to uphold the ban.

“The stakes here are high. That’s why I will soon introduce the Extend the TikTok Deadline Act to extend the deadline by which ByteDance must sell TikTok or face a ban by an additional 270 days,” Markey said.

Representative Ro Khanna also urged both Biden and Trump “to put a pause on this ban so 170 million Americans don’t lose their free speech.”

“Millions of Americans’ livelihoods will be ended if this ban takes place,” Khanna added.

Jan. 16, 2025: Biden Administration Will Not Enforce Ban

On Thursday, Jan. 16, a government official said that President Biden would not enforce the nationwide ban on Sunday, Jan. 19, just one day before he leaves office.

Instead, Biden is handing the decision over to President-elect Donald Trump.

The news came after it was reported on Jan. 16 that Trump was exploring options to delay the ban, including filing an executive order.

Jan. 19, 2025: TikTok Deadline

The original deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. operation to an American company.

This is now expected to be delayed by Trump’s executive order.

Jan. 20, 2025: Trump Signs Executive Order

Following his inauguration, Trump signed an executive order delaying TikTok’s ban for 75 days. The new President said it would “permit my Administration an opportunity to determine the appropriate course of action with respect to TikTok.”

Jan. 21, 2025: Trump Warns China

Trump warned China that attempting to block a TikTok deal with the U.S. would be considered an act of “hostility,” and he would look at raising tariffs by up to 100%.

The comments came after the President said he believed America was entitled to 50% of the app.

Feb. 14, 2025: TikTok Returns to U.S. App Stores

TikTok again became available to download from app stores on Friday, Feb. 14.

According to Bloomberg , Apple and Google reinstated the application after receiving assurance from the Trump administration that they would not be penalized for its restoration.

March 6, 2025

Trump claimed he would “probably” extend TikTok’s deadline if a deal is not reached by April 5.

The President said there had been a lot of interest in the sale so far but would provide an extension if needed.

March 10, 2025

Trump told reporters that his administration was in talks with four different groups to purchase TikTok, claiming a deal could be made soon.

“We’re dealing with four different groups, and a lot of people want it… all four are good,” Trump said.

March 26, 2025

Donald Trump has suggested giving China a discount on tariffs if it agrees to a U.S. takeover of TikTok.

“Maybe I’ll give them a little reduction in tariffs or something to get it done, you know, because every point in tariff is worth more money than TikTok,” he said on Wednesday.

March 30, 2025

Trump told reporters that a deal to sell the U.S. arm of TikTok could be signed before the Saturday, April 5 deadline, Reuters reported.

April 3, 2025

Amazon put in a last-minute bid to purchase TikTok ahead of the platform’s planned ban on Saturday, according to the New York Times , citing people familiar with the matter.

The e-commerce giant made the offer in a letter to Vice President J.D. Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

April 4, 2025

Trump signed a second executive order to delay the ban of TikTok by a further 75 days.

The move came just one day before the first delay’s deadline after an agreed deal collapsed due to the President’s sweeping tariffs.