President Donald Trump expressed confidence in reaching a deal on TikTok before the April 5 deadline. The deadline is set for TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, to sell the app or face a potential ban in the United States. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump stated, “We have a lot of potential buyers. There’s tremendous interest in TikTok.”
Trump also mentioned that discussions were ongoing with China regarding the sale. He added that he would like to see TikTok “remain alive” and emphasized the significant interest from multiple buyers. The platform, which has 170 million American users, is at the center of concerns over national security.
The U.S. government has ordered ByteDance to divest from TikTok, citing fears that China could use the app to spy on U.S. citizens or influence public opinion. A law passed in January requires the sale, and its deadline is quickly approaching. Trump hinted that a deal could be reached soon, though he was unsure whether he would extend the deadline if no agreement was made.
Earlier, Trump had tried to ban TikTok due to security concerns but has since become more supportive of the app. He acknowledged that TikTok helped him win a large portion of the young vote, which is typically a challenge for Republicans.