In a significant development surrounding the ongoing TikTok controversy, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has indicated that the United States is prepared to impose a full ban on TikTok if a sale to an American entity is not finalized by the current deadline of September 17. This deadline, extended multiple times, was originally set under an executive order from former President Donald Trump.
Lutnick made it clear in a CNBC interview that if the Chinese parent company, ByteDance, fails to reach a deal to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations, the platform could “go dark” across the country. He emphasized, “We’ve made the decision. You can’t have Chinese control and have something on 100 million American phones.”
This marks the strongest indication yet that the U.S. is prepared to follow through with the long-discussed ban, should negotiations stall again.
One of the primary hurdles in finalizing the deal is TikTok’s proprietary algorithm. The Chinese government has reportedly been unwilling to allow any sale involving the app’s core recommendation engine or source code. For U.S. officials, this element is crucial—without control over the algorithm, a U.S. buyer would lack the tool that powers TikTok’s success.
According to Lutnick, any acceptable deal must include both the platform and its algorithm to safeguard American interests.
While this latest development hasn’t come directly from Donald Trump himself, it reflects the current administration’s position on Chinese-owned apps operating in the U.S. Trump has previously issued multiple executive orders addressing the matter, and the upcoming September 17 deadline represents the latest—and possibly final—extension.
Trump recently claimed a U.S. investor consortium was prepared to acquire TikTok, but one of the key players reportedly backed out, leaving the deal's fate uncertain.
Amid the uncertainty, there have been unconfirmed reports suggesting TikTok could be working on a U.S.-only version of the app as a contingency plan. However, TikTok has denied any such development. If true, this move might be an effort to retain its U.S. user base even if a complete sale doesn't materialize.
Should the U.S. ban TikTok, it could set a precedent for other countries to follow suit, especially those aligned with U.S. cybersecurity policies. This would represent a major global shift in how Chinese tech platforms are treated internationally.
The U.S. has long raised concerns about potential Chinese government access to user data and the use of social media platforms for disinformation campaigns.
With only a few weeks left until the deadline, the situation remains fluid. It’s unclear whether a last-minute deal can be reached that satisfies both U.S. and Chinese regulatory bodies. If not, American users may soon find themselves without access to TikTok altogether.
Given the complexities involved—ranging from foreign policy tensions to intellectual property concerns—the countdown to September 17 could mark a defining moment for the future of social media regulation.