President Trump Signs Fourth Executive Order To Keep TikTok Active in the U.S.

President Trump signs fourth executive order to keep TikTok active in the U.S., aiming to ensure the future of the app amid continuing political tensions.

While the TikTok-U.S. deal is reported to be close, it appears that the White House needs more time to agree on the details. In the end, President Donald Trump signed a fourth executive order delaying the implementation of the TikTok sale-off bill. The deadline is extended to the 16th of December to complete its transfer to a U.S.-owned company or risk an entire ban within the U.S.

Executive Order To Keep TikTok Active in U.S.

According to the latest executive order:

“The enforcement delay specified in section 2(a) of Executive Order 14166 of January 20, 2025 (Application of Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act to TikTok), as extended by Executive Order 14258 of April 4, 2025 (Extending the TikTok Enforcement Delay), and Executive Order 14310 of June 19, 2025 (Further Extending the TikTok Enforcement Delay), is further extended until December 16, 2025.  During this period, the Department of Justice shall take no action to enforce the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (the “Act”) (Public Law 118-50, Div. H) or impose any penalties against any entity for any noncompliance with the Act, including for distributing, maintaining, or updating (or enabling the distribution, maintenance, or updating of) any foreign adversary controlled application as defined in the Act.”

Legally speaking, TikTok has been banned from the U.S. under the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act” that the Senate approved in April and President Biden signed into law in April last year. The law went into force on the 20th of January this year.

But Trump has repeatedly used executive orders to direct federal agencies not to implement this ban. He has cited ongoing discussions about the future of the app as well as his own interests as an avid TikTok fan and promoter.

The talks to sell off have proven difficult, in the sense that Chinese officials are trying to defend their interests and stop the unjust demands made by the U.S. 

The TikTok dispute has been entangled with the broader U.S.-China trade relations in the context of how the Trump administration seeks to increase limits on China and increase the control of business in the U.S.

Additional Time for Finalizing the Deal

In this new extension, negotiations will have another 30 days to work out the specifics of the sale. However, Trump’s numerous executive orders could be met with the ire of lawmakers who believe that he is ignoring an already-passed law.

The belief is that TikTok could eventually be transferred to a U.S. company, which will allow the law to be implemented.

According to recent reports, TikTok’s U.S. partners will likely lease the algorithm of the app from ByteDance instead of altogether purchasing the app. This arrangement allows the user experience to be consistent; however, it is not enough to address the concerns over Chinese power and control.

In the agreement as part of the proposed deal, government officials from the U.S. government will gain a place as members of the Board of the newly created TikTok America entity, aiming to strengthen the oversight.

Uncertainty Over Legislative Intent

The algorithm lease and the U.S. board representation strictly are in line with the original intent of the bill to sell off. But, considering that the legislation was passed in the last 18 months, political and public scrutiny has diminished, which allows some flexibility in how the deal is designed.

Although these developments will keep TikTok open for U.S. users for now, there remain fundamental questions regarding the efficiency of the service in reducing security threats to the nation and balancing commercial reality.

Bottom Line

The TikTok story continues to draw attention to the challenges between technology, geopolitics, and regulation. It is an evolving issue that has significant impacts for online platforms as well as global policy.