Is TikTok getting banned after April 5? Here’s what US President Donald Trump plans to do and what does the law say
This has put millions of American users and potential purchasers on tenterhooks as they wait for further news.
Will TikTok be banned on April 5?
According to the existing federal law, TikTok will face a ban unless ByteDance divests its American business before the deadline specified.
Nevertheless, Trump has pledged that if the sales process is not yet concluded, he will give another extension, as mentioned in a report by USA Today.
This comes in line with the trend where, in January, an initial deadline was postponed by 75 days by means of an executive order.
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n Trump Delay the Deadline Yet Again?
The law enabling the TikTok ban provides the president with the flexibility to make a 90-day extension of the divestment.
Though Trump chose not to do this in January and went with an executive order of 75-day postponement, he can still grant another extension until April 5.
The administration has yet to indicate whether they have plans to create another executive order.
Senators Urge Congressional Involvement
The lack of clarity regarding the future of TikTok has led lawmakers to demand a more formalized response. On March 25, three Democratic senators—Edward J.
Markey (Massachusetts), Chris Van Hollen (Maryland), and Cory A. Booker (New Jersey)—wrote to Trump calling on him to work with Congress towards a long-term solution.
They pointed out that relying on executive orders to prolong the deadline may pose legal issues for companies such as Oracle, Apple, and Google.
The senators are pushing for the Extend the TikTok Deadline Act, a January-introduced bill that would extend the divestment deadline to Oct. 16, 2025. Its fate is uncertain, though, as it needs bipartisan approval.