The fate of TikTok in the United States appears settled as President Donald Trump confirmed that a deal for the app’s sale by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, is on track to be finalized before Saturday’s deadline. This announcement comes just days after Trump indicated his willingness to ease tariffs on China to help facilitate the sale of the short-video platform, which boasts 170 million American users.
“We have a lot of potential buyers,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One late Sunday, according to Reuters. “There’s tremendous interest in TikTok,” he added, emphasizing, “I’d like to see TikTok remain alive.”
April 5 deadline looms for TikTok’s divestment
Upon taking office in January, Trump set an April 5 deadline for TikTok to secure a non-Chinese buyer or face a nationwide ban on national security grounds, in accordance with a 2024 law. Initially, Trump suggested he was open to extending the deadline if a deal had not been finalized, acknowledging that China’s approval was a critical factor in the process. He also hinted that a minor reduction in tariffs on Chinese imports could be considered to expedite the transaction. “Maybe I’ll give them a little reduction in tariffs or something to get it done,” Trump was quoted as saying by Reuters.
Under existing federal law, TikTok will be prohibited from operating in the U.S. unless ByteDance divests its American operations before the stipulated deadline. However, according to a USA Today report, Trump has assured that an extension will be granted if the sale is not completed on time.
Trump’s 75-day grace period for TikTok
In January, Trump signed an executive order granting ByteDance a 75-day grace period to finalize the sale of TikTok, temporarily halting enforcement of a law that would have effectively banned the platform. The order delayed the implementation of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which took effect on January 19 and was set to prohibit TikTok’s distribution and updates within the U.S.
Trump has been vocal about his intent to protect TikTok from the legislation, which was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and signed into law by President Joe Biden last year.
“I guess I have a warm spot for TikTok that I didn’t have originally, but I went on TikTok and I won young people,” Trump remarked while signing the executive order, crediting the app for his electoral success among younger voters.
TikTok ban rooted in national security concerns
The push to ban TikTok stems from concerns that the Chinese government could leverage the app to gather intelligence on American citizens or manipulate public opinion through data collection and content curation. Lawmakers have long argued that ByteDance’s ownership poses a significant security risk, fueling efforts to either ban the app outright or mandate its sale to a U.S.-approved entity.
As the deadline approaches, all eyes remain on the negotiations to see whether the sale will be completed in time or if further extensions will be granted.