Will the TikTok Ban Finally Go Ahead?

Published: April 3, 2025

eyestetix-studio-cFk3LX_4fyk-unsplash — Photo from Eyestetix Studio via Unsplash

By India McCarty

Another deadline for TikTok is fast approaching, but will another ban actually go into effect?

“I’d like to see TikTok remain alive,” President Trump said while addressing reporters on Air Force One. “We have a lot of potential buyers. There’s tremendous interest in TikTok.”

Ultimately, Trump said, “The decision is gonna be my decision” (comments via YouTube).

TikTok has until April 5 to divest from its Beijing-based parent company, ByteDance, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the app will be banned on that date.

Last year, a federal bill passed mandating ByteDance sell a controlling interest in TikTok to non-Chinese owners or be banned from America.

“There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community,” the Supreme Court wrote of their decision. “But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary.”

On Jan. 18, the app was shut down but service was restored just 14 hours later by Trump.

“I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark! I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform. “The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order.”

If the deadline passes without a new buyer, it’s likely that Trump will issue another order delaying the ban and giving ByteDance the chance to create a deal that works for them.

Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives said that ByteDance will want to retain minority ownership in TikTok “but potentially higher than the 20% threshold currently required by U.S. law.”

In a research note, Ives wrote that the company will likely also continue to control the app’s content algorithm.

“We believe TikTok’s valuation is roughly $100 billion, but without the golden jewel algorithm the deal price/valuation is closer to $30 billion to $40 billion in our view,” he explained.

Many names have been tossed around as potential buyers, including private equity firm Blackstone, SHARK TANK’s Kevin O’Leary, software company Oracle and YouTuber MrBeast.

Trump said there are other companies interested but declined to reveal who exactly is in the running, saying, “I like bidding wars because you make your best deals.”

Whether or not TikTok finds a non-Chinese buyer in time for their looming deadline, it’s a pretty safe bet that the app won’t go dark on April 5.