Trump Gives ByteDance 90 Days to Sell US TikTok Operations
President Trump signs an executive order requiring ByteDance to divest its US TikTok business within 90 days due to national security concerns. The extended timeline gives the company more time to negotiate a potential sale to Microsoft.
President Trump issues an executive order that forces China-based ByteDance to sell or spin off its US TikTok business within 90 days. Trump states there is credible evidence that ByteDance might take action that threatens the national security of the United States.
This new order provides a longer timeline for ByteDance to negotiate a deal compared to a previous order that gave the company just 45 days before facing a potential US app store ban. As part of the latest directive, ByteDance is required to destroy all copies of TikTok data tied to US users and notify the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States upon completion.
Microsoft confirms it is in talks to buy TikTok's operations in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand in a deal estimated to be worth between $10 billion and $30 billion. Meanwhile, reports that TikTok collects user MAC addresses for tracking purposes prompt US senators to ask the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the app's data collection practices.