Technology
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Technology
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Trump gives TikTok another lifeline as talks stall
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President Trump extended the deadline for TikTok's parent company to divest the popular video sharing app by 90 days.
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© Manuel Balce Ceneta, Associated Press
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The order punts the deadline for China-based ByteDance to Sept. 17. The most recent deadline was Thursday.
“I’ve just signed the Executive Order extending the Deadline for the TikTok closing for 90 days (September 17, 2025). Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, attaching a screenshot of the order.
The order instructs the Department of Justice not to enforce the law or impose penalties related to it.
“We are grateful for President Trump’s leadership and support in ensuring that TikTok continues to be available for more than 170 million American users and 7.5 million U.S. businesses that rely on the platform as we continue to work with Vice President Vance’s Office,” TikTok said in a statement following Thursday’s order.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed earlier this week Trump planned to sign another extension, telling reporters the president “does not want TikTok to go dark.”
“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,” Leavitt said in a statement Tuesday.
When asked Monday whether he would give the popular video-sharing platform another extension, the president told reporters aboard Air Force One, “Probably, yeah.”
“Probably have to get China['s] approval, but I think we’ll get it,” Trump said as he traveled back from the Group of Seven summit in Canada. “I think President Xi [Jinping] will ultimately approve it.”
The order marks the third extension from Trump since he took office in January.
Read more in a full report at TheHill.com
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Welcome to The Hill’s Technology newsletter, we're Miranda Nazzaro and — tracking the latest moves from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley.
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How policy will be impacting the tech sector now and in the future:
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Misleading information about the nature of climate change is further complicating and delaying action to fight the environmental issue, according to a new research report. A sprawling report, released this month from the International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE), found “powerful actors” like governments, political parties and corporations are often behind the intentional spreading of inaccurate or …
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A group of Democratic lawmakers in Texas urged Tesla to delay the rollout of its robotaxis in Austin, as the driverless cars prepare to hit the streets this weekend. In a letter to Tesla’s director of field quality, Eddie Gates, seven lawmakers asked the electric vehicle maker to push back its launch until September, when a new Texas law is set to take effect. The law, which revises earlier state guidelines for autonomous …
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A SpaceX rocket exploded late Wednesday during a static fire test, which the company attributed to “a major anomaly.” “On Wednesday, June 18 at approximately 11 p.m. CT, the Starship preparing for the tenth flight test experienced a major anomaly while on a test stand at Starbase,” the aerospace company, owned by tech billionaire Elon Musk, wrote early Thursday on the social platform X. “A safety clear area around …
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Honda successfully launched and landed its experimental reusable rocket at its facility in Japan, the company said in a surprise announcement Tuesday. The rocket reached an altitude of 271.4 meters, or roughly 890 feet, and landed within 37 centimeters, or roughly 15 inches, of the target touchdown point, the company said. The duration of the flight was 56.6 seconds. “The test was completed successfully, the first time Honda …
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Stay ahead of the political trends by signing up for The Hill's Evening Report newsletter. Click here to sign up
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News we've flagged from the intersection of tech and other topics:
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- European Union probes X's acquisition of xAI ahead of potential penalty (Bloomberg)
- U.S. companies brace for Israel-Iran cyber spillover (Axios)
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Trump calls on House to pass 'clean' stablecoin bill
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© Evan Vucci, Associated Press
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Welcome to Crypto Corner, a daily feature focused on digital currency and its outlook in Washington.
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President Trump is urging House lawmakers to pass stablecoin legislation that cleared the Senate earlier this week without any major additions — a demand that may clash with hopes of tying two key crypto bills together.
“The Senate just passed an incredible Bill that is going to make America the UNDISPUTED Leader in Digital Assets — Nobody will do it better, it is pure GENIUS!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social of the GENIUS Act.
“Digital Assets are the future, and our Nation is going to own it,” he continued. “We are talking about MASSIVE Investment, and Big Innovation. The House will hopefully move LIGHTNING FAST, and pass a ‘clean’ GENIUS Act.”
The Senate voted 68-30 Tuesday to pass the GENIUS Act Tuesday, with 18 Democrats joining most Republicans to get the stablecoin bill across the finish line.
It marked a milestone moment for the crypto industry as the first major digital asset legislation to clear the chamber.
“Get it to my desk, ASAP — NO DELAYS, NO ADD ONS,” Trump added. “This is American Brilliance at its best, and we are going to show the World how to WIN with Digital Assets like never before!”
After embracing the industry on the campaign trail, Trump has made crypto legislation a priority for his administration, pushing to pass two crypto bills before Congress leaves for its August recess.
In addition to the stablecoin bill, the White House and GOP lawmakers are trying to pass legislation that would divvy up oversight of the rest of the digital asset market between two financial regulators.
While Trump pushes lawmakers to get a “clean” GENIUS Act to his desk as fast as possible, some in the industry and Congress have voiced support for tying the two crypto bills together to ensure they don’t lose momentum before getting to market structure.
However, others are pushing to take the win on stablecoin legislation and tackle market structure legislation afterward.
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Branch out with other reads on The Hill:
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Vance briefly booted from Bluesky after joining platform
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Vice President Vance was briefly suspended from the social media network Bluesky shortly after joining the platform Wednesday, but was quickly reinstated online. Publishing his first post on Bluesky on Wednesday evening, Vance wrote, “Hello Bluesky, I’ve been told this app has become the place to go for common sense political discussion and analysis. So I’m thrilled to be here to engage with all of you.” …
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Two key stories on The Hill right now:
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The overseer of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is waging an online battle to force out Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Over the span of 24 hours, … Read more
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President Trump is expected to make a decision about whether to take direct action against Iran in the next two weeks, he said Thursday in a message … Read more
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Opinion related to tech submitted to The Hill:
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You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!
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