The future of TikTok, a massively popular video-based social media platform, remains in limbo as President Donald Trump seems to walk a thin line between the national security concerns that have been raised over its ownership and not wanting millions of users to see the app disappear under his administration.

  • White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has announced that Trump will sign an executive order that keeps the social app online for an additional 90 days.
  • Functionally, the EO serves as an extension on the deadline for ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, to divest in the app’s U.S. business. It will be the third time Trump has signed an executive order in this vein since taking office, the most recent was set to expire June 19.


The app was banned a few days before Trump took office through a law, originally signed by President Joe Biden in 2024, citing national security concerns over the Chinese government’s potential to spy on and hoard data from American users. The law also suggests that the video app could slowly influence the American public through the content that it either suppresses or pushes to users.

“As he has said many times, President Trump does not want TikTok to go dark,” Leavitt says. “This extension will last 90 days, which the Administration will spend working to ensure this deal is closed so that the American people can continue to use TikTok with the assurance that their data is safe and secure.”

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Large tech companies, such as Oracle, have shown interest in purchasing TikTok, but no sale has seemingly come close to materializing since the ban was put into law. The new EO would allow TikTok to remain operating in the U.S. until September. If that were to expire without a sale, it is unclear if the ban would be enforced or if Trump would be willing to continue the limbo with another executive order.

  • Approximately 170 million individuals in the U.S. are on TikTok.
  • Included in that number are many small business owners, such as promotional products professionals, who use the app to promote their offerings and reach new clients and partners.


TikTok’s Impact On Promo

Javier Melendez, national account executive at PPAI 100’s No. 76 distributor Walker-Clay, has leveraged TikTok to create his own brand, drumming up business and generally keeping his name top of mind with clients. His instant reaction to the ruling in January was that there is simply too much money on the line for TikTok to resist a sale if truly forced to.


“TikTok is too big a platform to not abide by the conditions the government is now stipulating, so someone will most likely come riding in,” says Melendez. 

Nick Lateur, vice president of revenue at business service provider Merch.ai, was named the best social media user in promo for the second time this year. He says that loss of audience and revenue will hit some promo companies, but it will also have a ripple effect on the speed at which promo trends spread and the communities formed through promo professionals who might otherwise never connect.

“Some promo companies are able to utilize TikTok to shed a unique light on their services and humanize their teams,” Lateur says. “The ban could weaken brand communities and limit real-time trend discovery, making it harder to stay unique and competitive.”

The ban could weaken brand communities and limit real-time trend discovery, making it harder to stay unique and competitive.”

Nick Lateur

VP of Revenue, Merch.ai

Connections, communities and amplifying brand awareness have all been ingredients in TikTok’s promo algorithm. At the moment, no platform is matching that impact, which means possible ramifications if it were to go dark.

Jade Crider, sales representative and social media coordinator at Ohio-based distributor Hasseman Marketing, which was named to the 2025 #Online18, participated in a panel called “Gen Z Speaks: Bridging The Gap For Authentic Connections” at PPAI’s Leadership Development Workshop. She says that she’s seen firsthand the ways TikTok has fostered community and uplifted small businesses, also confirming that it is an excellent platform to influence the younger generations.

She does, however, suggest that those same younger generations are nimble with their social media preferences.

“If TikTok were to cease operations, users would adapt and migrate to a new platform, and I would shift my attention to whichever platform I believe would have the greatest impact,” Crider says.

If TikTok were to cease operations, users would adapt and migrate to a new platform, and I would shift my attention to whichever platform I believe would have the greatest impact.”

Jade Crider

Sales Rep & Social Media Coordinator, Hasseman Marketing

That’s a sentiment shared by Melendez, who reminds the promo community that success with any social platform does not render tried-and-true methods obsolete.

“TikTok’s not the only game in town,” Melendez says. “I am a big proponent of using personalized video in ways beyond just posting every day on TikTok. However, it could also be a voice note, or a handwritten card.”

TikTok’s not the only game in town.”

Javier Melendez

National Account Executive, Walker-Clay

Looking for a silver lining in a potential ban, Lateur also suggests that there’s a temptation for every business to gravitate to the latest social media trend, even if it doesn’t make as much sense for their product, brand or goals.

“Some businesses don’t belong on TikTok, anyway, so the ban may push businesses to re-focus on their strengths, giving them more time to improve existing marketing channels such as websites, email lists or LinkedIn,” Lateur says.

  • Lateur also points out that data security concerns are not unique to the U.S. government. Clients and partners may fear these threats as well. Reinforcing trust in cybersecurity is something any business should consider.