WASHINGTON: US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Thursday that TikTok will have to stop operating in the United States if China does not approve a deal for the sale of the Chinese-owned short video app that is used by some 170 million Americans.

Lutnick, speaking on CNBC, also said the United States must control the algorithm that makes the social media platform work. Last month, President Donald Trump extended by 90 days to Sept 17 a deadline for China-based ByteDance to divest the US assets of TikTok. Trump’s action took place despite a 2024 law that mandated a sale or shutdown by Jan 19 of this year if there had not been significant progress.

“China can have a little piece or ByteDance, the current owner, can keep a little piece. But basically, Americans will have control. Americans will own the technology, and Americans will control the algorithm,” Lutnick said.

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2025