President Donald Trump is anticipated to delay the U.S. TikTok prohibition once more this week by executing another executive order to postpone its enforcement. This marks the third occasion the ban’s deadline, currently scheduled for Thursday, has been extended. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Trump’s intentions in a statement to CNN, announcing that a new executive order will be enacted in the upcoming days, providing TikTok with a 90-day extension, surpassing the previous 75-day delays issued in January and April. Leavitt noted that the administration will utilize this period to finalize a deal ensuring data protection for American users. Trump had previously alluded to a third postponement, conveying his appreciation for the app and working towards an agreement to maintain its availability. The potential purchaser for TikTok remains uncertain, with contenders ranging from YouTuber MrBeast to the U.S. government, although Oracle is a strong candidate. Nonetheless, Trump’s tariffs on China have obstructed the approval of any sale.

The U.S. TikTok prohibition arises from worries about Chinese government surveillance and algorithm manipulation, even though no public evidence substantiates these allegations. Some lawmakers also seek to limit pro-Palestinian content. Known as the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA), the ban mandates ByteDance to divest from its U.S. operations, selling TikTok to a non-foreign adversary-controlled entity. Non-compliance could lead to a penalty of around $850 billion. Despite ByteDance’s valuation exceeding $400 billion, it would still not suffice to cover this penalty, necessitating a halt to U.S. operations unless sold to an authorized entity.

Initially enacted by former president Joe Biden, the TikTok ban was slated to commence on Jan. 19, just prior to Trump’s inauguration. The White House opted not to implement it during the transition, leaving it in the hands of the incoming administration. Despite his earlier attempts to prohibit TikTok, Trump’s position has evolved, favoring the continuation of the app’s availability. One of his first actions as president was to impose a temporary delay on the ban, permitting TikTok to operate in the U.S. until April 5, followed by a second delay extending it to June 19.