TikTok’s final countdown? Trump’s Commerce Chief says this time it’s real: This is the social media platform’s deadline

TikTok users, beware: the social media app may be living on borrowed time in the United States, according to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

Speaking to CNBC, Lutnick said TikTok would be forced to cease operations in the US, where it has over 170 million users, if its Chinese owner, ByteDance, fails to approve a sale to American investors.

Why does Trump want TikTok sold to US investors?

President Trump has insisted that ByteDance divest TikTok’s US assets on national security grounds, arguing that China could exploit the company’s access to vast amounts of American user data, something TikTok claims it does not store in China.

The date TikTok could go dark in the United States

In June, Trump signed an executive order extending the deadline for TikTok to be sold to a US entity to September 17. That was the third such extension, although Lutnick’s latest comments suggest there won’t be a fourth.

“China can have a little piece or ByteDance, the current owner, can keep a little piece,” the Commerce Secretary explained. “But basically, Americans will have control. Americans will own the technology, and Americans will control the algorithm.

“If that deal gets approved, by the Chinese, then that deal will happen. If they don’t approve it, then TikTok is going to go dark, and those decisions are coming very soon.”

Trump tariffs scupper TikTok deal

Earlier this year, it seemed an agreement was close that would place TikTok’s US operations under the control of a US-based firm, majority-owned and operated by American investors.However, ByteDance ultimately refused to approve the deal after Trump decided to impose significant tariffs on Chinese goods.

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