TikTok Ban: Senators Urge Trump to Give Company More Time

President Donald Trump is facing renewed pressure from Senate Democrats to work with Congress to legally extend a fast-approaching deadline that could determine the future of TikTok in the United States.

Lawmakers argue that Trump’s executive action delaying enforcement of a federal divestment order has raised legal concerns and deepened uncertainty for the app’s 170 million U.S. users. With multiple bidders vying for control of TikTok’s U.S. operations, the issue has become a political flashpoint just weeks before the ban could take effect.

When Is Deadline for ByteDance to Sell TikTok?

The deadline for TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to divest from its U.S. operations is April 5, 2025. That stems from a law passed in 2024 requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok to a U.S.-controlled entity or face a nationwide ban.

The divestment deadline was originally January 19, but President Trump issued an executive order on his first day in office that delayed enforcement by 75 days.

While Trump has suggested he could extend the deadline further, Democratic lawmakers say the president lacks the legal authority to do so without congressional approval.

“It is unacceptable and unworkable for your Administration to continue ignoring the requirements in the law, as you did in January by extending the divestment deadline to April 5,” Senators Ed Markey, Chris Van Hollen and Cory Booker wrote in a letter released March 25. The senators previously introduced legislation to move the deadline to October 16, but said Senate Republicans blocked the bill.

Meanwhile, JD Vance said earlier this month he is “very confident” that a deal to sell TikTok and maintain its operations in the United States will be largely in place by the April deadline.

TikTok briefly went offline on January 19 in compliance with the law, but service resumed after Trump’s executive order took effect. The app remains available, but its future hinges on whether ByteDance can complete a sale to an approved U.S. buyer—or whether Trump and Congress can agree to a legal deadline extension.

Who Could Purchase TikTok?

At least four groups are in negotiations with the Trump administration to acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations. Trump confirmed the discussions on March 10, telling reporters aboard Air Force One: “A lot of people want it,” and “it’s up to me,” according to Forbes.

One high-profile bid is backed by former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, who has teamed up with Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Their consortium has offered $20 billion and proposes using blockchain technology to give users more control over their personal data, PBS NewsHour reported.

Another group, led by Jesse Tinsley of Employer.com and reportedly involving Roblox’s CEO, has submitted a $30 billion bid. The artificial intelligence company Perplexity AI has also presented ByteDance with a merger proposal, aiming to integrate its services with TikTok’s U.S. platform.

Tech giants Oracle and Microsoft are reportedly still in the mix. Oracle already provides cloud services for TikTok and could play a role in managing U.S. user data under a new ownership structure. But Senate Democrats have expressed concern that a deal involving Oracle may not satisfy the law’s requirement for a full divestiture of Chinese ownership.

ByteDance has not publicly confirmed any willingness to sell and has said in the past it would rather shut down the app in the U.S. than be forced to divest.

Chinese officials would also have to approve any deal. Foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in January that such acquisitions “should be independently decided by companies in accordance with market principles” and that “China’s laws and regulations should be observed,” PBS NewsHour reported.

What’s Next for TikTok?

Vance, whom Trump tapped to help broker the deal, said on March 14 that “there will almost certainly be a high-level agreement that I think satisfies our national security concerns, allows there to be a distinct American TikTok enterprise.

“We’d like to get it done without the extension. I think the question is, what is the equity ownership of the new joint venture? How do you do the contracts for all the investors, the customers, the service providers?”

He said the core agreement could be ready in time, but added: “The deal itself will be very clear, but actually creating those thousands and thousands of pages of legal documents, that’s the one thing that I worry could slip.”

The clock is ticking. Without an extension or completed sale, TikTok could once again be banned from app stores and U.S. networks after April 5. Trump has hinted he may issue another executive order to delay enforcement, but senators say only Congress can provide the legal certainty needed.

“The path to saving TikTok should run through Capitol Hill,” the senators wrote in their letter, published by Reuters. “We urge you to stand up for TikTok’s users and use your immense influence over congressional Republicans to demand a long-term solution to the TikTok ban.”