President Donald Trump has confirmed that a deal for TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, to sell the popular short-video app will be finalized before the April 5 deadline. Set in January, the deadline requires TikTok to secure a non-Chinese buyer or face a potential ban in the United States under a 2024 national security law.
Speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump mentioned, "We have a lot of potential buyers," and expressed his desire to see TikTok continue its operations in the U.S. TikTok has yet to comment on the developments.
Reports indicate that private equity firm Blackstone is exploring a minority investment in TikTok’s U.S. operations, possibly in partnership with ByteDance's non-Chinese investors, such as Susquehanna International Group and General Atlantic. This group has emerged as front-runners in the negotiations.
The U.S. government has raised concerns over national security risks associated with TikTok’s ownership, citing potential influence campaigns and data collection by Beijing on American users. Trump had previously hinted that China’s approval could be pivotal for the deal, and the possibility of tariff reductions might facilitate the negotiations.
With the White House actively overseeing the negotiations, Vice President JD Vance remains confident that an agreement will be reached before the April 5 deadline, despite ongoing uncertainty about TikTok’s future in the U.S.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)