US efforts to ban TikTok started during Trump’s first term in 2020. Months before he left office, Trump threatened to ban TikTok and another Chinese app WeChat. The Biden administration rescinded Trump’s executive orders on the topic but continued to scrutinize TikTok. The US congress eventually passed the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications (PAFACA) Act in April 2024. This gave TikTok two options: divest from its Chinese ownership before January 19, 2025, or risk a federal ban.
The app briefly went dark in the US ahead of the deadline, then reappeared on app stores less than 24 hours later and resumed services for US users.
Since Trump returned to power, Washington’s stance on TikTok appears to have shifted. Trump has become a steadfast advocate for saving the app, which he credited with helping him win the support of young voters. He has repeatedly extended the deadline set by the PAFACA Act, most recently to December 16, 2025, which some experts have criticized as illegal.
The deal that is reportedly being proposed by the Trump administration could meet the requirements set by the PAFACA Act, says Alan Rozenshtein, an associate professor of law at the University of Minnesota Law School. But the fact remains that the deadline has been extended multiple times and American companies like Oracle and Apple have not paid fines for continuing to service the app.
“The way the law was written, the companies were liable for doing business with TikTok, up to $5,000 per US user. So if there are 170 million TikTok users [in the US], and they all used the platform in the last nine months, and each of these platforms and each of these companies has accrued potentially up to nearly $1 trillion in liability,” Rozenshtein claims. He notes that it’s unlikely the Trump administration will collect that fine.
Some experts in Washington believe the deal does not solve the perceived national security issues that sparked talk of a ban in the first place. “In plain terms, ownership change without technical separation is a violation of the law,” says Craig Singleton, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a DC-based think tank. He compares the deal to a “joint custody” rather than the “divorce” that the PAFACA Act required.
The Chinese government has stressed in recent statements that the deal will include concessions from the US on non-TikTok issues, such as barriers to cross-border investment. “The US side needs to provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese investors,” the Chinese readout of the call between Trump and Xi says.
If Beijing exchanges the TikTok deal for better trade terms, ByteDance and its original investors may lose out. “It’s not great. But it’s still better than being completely shut down and losing entirely to Meta. It’s probably like a C-minus outcome,” says Rui Ma, founder of Tech Buzz China, a research firm focused on Chinese tech.
Update 9/19/25 6:00pm ET: This story has been updated to include a statement posted by ByteDance.
Source link
#Donald #Trump #TikTok #Deal #China #Isnt

![‘Strange New Worlds’ Season 4 Trailer Teases the Journey to the Beginning of ‘Star Trek’
The future of Star Trek on TV isn’t terribly optimistic, but the new season of Strange New Worlds—its fourth, ahead of a shortened fifth and final outing—looks stuffed full of excitement and wonder. Paramount just shared the latest trailer ahead of the show’s return in July, featuring a meaningful chat between future dynamic duo Spock (Ethan Peck) and Captain Kirk (Paul Wesley). [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85nfSzEho68[/embed] “In season four of the Paramount+ Original Series, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise—led by Captain Christopher Pike—embark on a series of thrilling and emotional adventures across the stars,” reads the official synopsis, which makes no mention of the puppet episode we know full well is coming. “As they journey to strange new worlds, they will battle inner demons and external threats, encounter colorful new characters, reunite with familiar faces, and confront terrifying aliens. Through it all, they strive to embrace a bright, hopeful future.”
Strange New Worlds season four stars Anson Mount (Pike), Rebecca Romijn (Una Chin-Riley/Number One), Ethan Peck (Spock), Jess Bush (Christine Chapel), Christina Chong (La’an Noonien-Singh), Celia Rose Gooding (Uhura), Melissa Navia (Erica Ortega), Babs Olusanmokun (Dr. M’Benga), and Martin Quinn (Scotty); Carol Kane (Pelia) and Paul Wesley (Kirk) guest star.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season four begins July 23 on Paramount+. It runs weekly, with new episodes arriving Thursdays through September 24. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Strange #Worlds #Season #Trailer #Teases #Journey #Beginning #Star #TrekStar Trek: Strange New Worlds ‘Strange New Worlds’ Season 4 Trailer Teases the Journey to the Beginning of ‘Star Trek’
The future of Star Trek on TV isn’t terribly optimistic, but the new season of Strange New Worlds—its fourth, ahead of a shortened fifth and final outing—looks stuffed full of excitement and wonder. Paramount just shared the latest trailer ahead of the show’s return in July, featuring a meaningful chat between future dynamic duo Spock (Ethan Peck) and Captain Kirk (Paul Wesley). [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85nfSzEho68[/embed] “In season four of the Paramount+ Original Series, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise—led by Captain Christopher Pike—embark on a series of thrilling and emotional adventures across the stars,” reads the official synopsis, which makes no mention of the puppet episode we know full well is coming. “As they journey to strange new worlds, they will battle inner demons and external threats, encounter colorful new characters, reunite with familiar faces, and confront terrifying aliens. Through it all, they strive to embrace a bright, hopeful future.”
Strange New Worlds season four stars Anson Mount (Pike), Rebecca Romijn (Una Chin-Riley/Number One), Ethan Peck (Spock), Jess Bush (Christine Chapel), Christina Chong (La’an Noonien-Singh), Celia Rose Gooding (Uhura), Melissa Navia (Erica Ortega), Babs Olusanmokun (Dr. M’Benga), and Martin Quinn (Scotty); Carol Kane (Pelia) and Paul Wesley (Kirk) guest star.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season four begins July 23 on Paramount+. It runs weekly, with new episodes arriving Thursdays through September 24. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Strange #Worlds #Season #Trailer #Teases #Journey #Beginning #Star #TrekStar Trek: Strange New Worlds](https://gizmodo.com/app/uploads/2026/06/Strange_new_worlds-1280x853.jpg)
Post Comment