Is TikTok Getting Banned on April 5? President Trump Clarifies the Situation
Are TikTok users once again at risk of losing their favorite app?
Published March 12 2025, 2:29 p.m. ET
If you are a TikTok user in the U.S., chances are pretty good you’ve heard of the looming TikTok ban. So, is TikTok getting banned on April 5? Unfortunately, the panic is real for U.S. TikTok users after avoiding the January 2025 ban.
Content creators are worried about losing their platform, businesses are wondering what this means for marketing, and millions of users are refreshing their feeds, hoping for good news.
The short answer? No, TikTok isn’t automatically shutting down on April 5. The app, however, is facing a serious deadline. President Donald Trump has made it clear: If ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, doesn’t sell its U.S. operations, the app could be banned nationwide. The question is: What does that mean? Do you need to worry? Let’s take a closer look at the situation.
Why is TikTok at risk of getting banned on April 5?
TikTok’s possible ban isn’t just a random decision, it’s the result of years of national security debates. U.S. lawmakers have long argued that ByteDance, the Beijing-based company behind TikTok, could be forced to share user data with the Chinese government. This concern has fueled multiple attempts to ban the app or force its sale.
The biggest legal push came in 2024 when Congress passed the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. This law gave ByteDance an ultimatum: sell TikTok’s U.S. operations by Jan. 19, 2025, or face a nationwide ban.
However, when President Trump returned to the White House, his administration extended the deadline, giving ByteDance until April 5, 2025, to finalize a deal. If no sale happens by then, the government has indicated that TikTok could be removed from app stores and blocked from operating in the U.S.
What has President Trump said about TikTok’s future?
President Trump has acknowledged the concerns surrounding TikTok but has also expressed confidence that a resolution can be reached. He confirmed that multiple ideal parties are in discussions to acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations, saying, “A lot of people want it.”
However, he did not disclose the names of any potential buyers. Just that he had final say in the decision. While he has remained firm on addressing national security concerns, he has also left the door open for possible deadline extensions if ByteDance is actively working toward a sale.
Despite this, the risk of a ban is still very real. If ByteDance refuses to sell or negotiations fall apart, the U.S. government could move forward with blocking the app. If what President Trump said is to be believed, the fate of the app ultimately falls on his shoulders until a deal is made.
Will TikTok really be banned on April 5?
Right now, there are only three possible outcomes. If ByteDance successfully sells TikTok’s U.S. operations before April 5, the app will continue to function as usual under new ownership. If no sale is completed, the government has made it clear that a ban is on the table, which could lead to TikTok being removed from app stores and restricted from operating in the U.S. If negotiations are ongoing, Present Trump could extend the deadline again.
As of March 2025, TikTok is still fully operational. Furthermore, ByteDance has not made any announcements regarding the ban or the app shutting down. Many experts believe a sale is the most likely outcome, especially given the app’s massive popularity and financial value. However, until a deal is finalized, the possibility of a ban still looms over the platform and its users.