Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced that TikTok will cease operations in the U.S. unless China allows American control over the app. Concerns have arisen about the potential for the Chinese government to access sensitive information or manipulate content. Congress passed a bill in 2024 requiring ByteDance to divest from TikTok. President Trump extended the deadline for negotiations, stating that control, ownership, and algorithm management should reside with Americans. If no deal is reached, TikTok will no longer function in the U.S.
"We've made the decision. You can't have Chinese control and have something on 100 million American phones," Lutnick told CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" on Thursday.
"Basically, Americans will have control. Americans will own the technology. Americans will control the algorithm. That's something Donald Trump is willing to do," Lutnick said.
"Then TikTok is going to go dark," Lutnick said, if China doesn't approve the deal.
Last month, President Donald Trump extended the deadline for a third time since taking office in January.
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