TikTok’s future in the United States remains uncertain as President Donald Trump is set to extend the sale or ban deadline for a third time. The popular video-sharing app was initially slated for a ban following ByteDance’s refusal to sell it to a US buyer by the January deadline. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Tuesday that Trump would sign an additional Executive Order to keep TikTok operational in the US for another 90 days. The extension aims to ensure the deal’s closure, allowing American users to continue using the app with data security assurances. Before Leavitt’s announcement, Trump expressed his intention to extend TikTok’s reprieve, stating that he believed Chinese President Xi Jinping would ultimately approve the deal. When asked about the legal basis for the extension, Trump responded confidently, “We do.” The extension contradicts the will of Congress, which passed the sale-or-ban measure last year and was immediately signed into law by President Biden. The law aimed to address concerns that TikTok, with its 170 million American users, could be used by China for spying and political manipulation. The Supreme Court upheld the law in January, just before Trump took office, and TikTok briefly went dark during the weekend before his inauguration. The platform praised Trump for saving it after it became available again. Trump attempted to force a sale of TikTok to an American buyer in 2020 but later expressed his appreciation for the platform, stating, “I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok because I won youth by 34 points.” Despite Trump’s unilateral deadline extensions, some analysts believe a ban is unlikely during his tenure. Forrester principal analyst Kelsey Chickering stated, “What ban? There is nothing ‘looming’ about the potential TikTok ban anymore.” ByteDance and the US government have been negotiating a deal that would place majority control of TikTok’s US operations under American ownership. However, the deal has yet to materialize due to unresolved issues subject to Chinese law. Trump has expressed openness to selling TikTok to Oracle or a team consisting of billionaire Frank McCourt, Canadian businessman Kevin O’Leary, and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Additionally, the biggest YouTuber in the world, Jimmy Donaldson (AKA MrBeast), has expressed interest in buying TikTok as part of a different investor group. By BBC News Email your news TIPS to Editor@Kahawatungu.com — this is our only official communication channel.