Trump Says TikTok Has a Buyer as Sale Deadline Nears
Washington, D.C. – Former President Donald Trump has claimed that a buyer is lined up for TikTok, the popular video-sharing app facing a nationwide ban in the United States over alleged national security risks.
In an interview with Fox News, Trump revealed that a group of "very wealthy people" is prepared to acquire the platform. However, he stopped short of naming them, teasing:
"I'll tell you in about two weeks."
A potential sale of TikTok would still require approval from the Chinese government, as the app is owned by ByteDance, a Beijing-based tech giant. Trump expressed optimism, stating that Chinese President Xi Jinping "will probably do it."
A Deal on the Clock
Trump has now delayed enforcement of the TikTok ban three times, most recently pushing the deadline to September 17. Under current U.S. law passed by Congress in April 2023, ByteDance must sell TikTok or face an outright ban of the app in the U.S.
The proposed law stemmed from bipartisan concerns that user data could be shared with Chinese authorities – a claim TikTok has strongly denied.
Backstory: From Opposition to Advocacy
While Trump was originally a critic of TikTok during his first term, even pushing for its ban in 2020, he has since softened his stance, especially after the app played a key role in boosting youth engagement during his 2024 election campaign.
His administration’s current position appears to balance both national security pressures and electoral interests.
A Complicated Path Ahead
A previous sale attempt collapsed in April due to escalating trade tensions with China over U.S. tariffs. It remains unclear whether the current unnamed buyer is the same party as before.
In a further twist, TikTok’s legal challenge to the forced sale was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court, paving the way for the current enforcement deadline to proceed.
If no sale is finalized by mid-September, TikTok could face removal from U.S. app stores, severely impacting its 150+ million American users.