Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick warned Thursday that TikTok will be shut down in the United States if China does not approve a sale of its U.S. assets, adding that Americans must control the app’s powerful algorithm.
“TikTok is going to go dark” if Beijing blocks the deal, Lutnick said on CNBC.
President Donald Trump extended the ByteDance divestment deadline to September 17, offering a final window for negotiations under a 2024 law requiring TikTok to be sold or shuttered.
#New: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick says TikTok will go dark for Americans unless China agrees to give the U.S. more control over the app.
— scott budman (@scottbudman) July 24, 2025
Lutnick emphasized that U.S. investors must hold the majority stake and control TikTok’s core technology. ByteDance could retain a “little piece,” he said, but Americans must own the platform outright.
Talks to spin off TikTok’s U.S. operations stalled after Trump announced sweeping tariffs on Chinese imports, triggering resistance from Beijing.
TikTok, used by over 170 million Americans, did not comment on the ultimatum.
