TikTok Faces Imminent Ban Without Buyer as Deadline Looms Once Again

TikTok’s future in the United States is once again on the brink, with a renewed sale-or-ban deadline fast approaching. After President Trump extended the original January deadline, the short-form video app is now days away from potentially being banned if no U.S.-based buyer steps in.

Several groups have expressed interest in purchasing the platform. One group is led by billionaire and former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt alongside Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary. Another notable bidding group includes social media superstar Jimmy Donaldson, better known as Mr Beast, paired with Jesse Tinsley, the founder of employer.com.

This isn’t the first time TikTok has faced uncertainty. After the initial January deadline passed with no resolution, the app went offline in the U.S. for nearly 14 hours. App stores temporarily removed it from availability, sparking widespread confusion before access was restored the following month.

The sale or shutdown is centered around ongoing national security concerns, as lawmakers continue to press Byte Dance, TikTok’s China-based parent company, to divest.

As the deadline looms, TikTok’s millions of U.S. users, influencers, and businesses are watching closely, hoping for a resolution that keeps the platform online.

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