President Donald Trump has announced that a deal regarding the sale of TikTok, the popular short-video app, will be finalized before the looming Saturday deadline. President Trump made this statement aboard Air Force One on Sunday, expressing optimism about the app’s future despite ongoing concerns over its Chinese ownership.
TikTok, owned by Beijing-based ByteDance, has been at the center of U.S. national security debates, with lawmakers citing fears that the Chinese government could access American user data. In response to these concerns, President Trump previously imposed an April 5 deadline, requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok to a non-Chinese entity or face a ban under a 2024 law.
“There’s tremendous interest in TikTok,” President Trump said, emphasizing that multiple potential buyers were in the mix. “I’d like to see TikTok remain alive,” he added, hinting at his preference for a resolution that ensures the app’s continued availability in the U.S.
The potential sale of TikTok has sparked a wave of speculation about which companies could acquire the platform. Several American tech giants, private equity firms, and investment groups have reportedly expressed interest in taking over TikTok’s U.S. operations. However, the complexity of the negotiations, including data security assurances and regulatory approvals, has made the process challenging.
This is not the first time TikTok has faced a possible ban in the U.S. During President Trump’s presidency, a similar order was issued in 2020, requiring ByteDance to divest its American operations. While a deal was initially arranged with Oracle and Walmart, it was never finalized, and the issue faded under the Biden administration—until now.
Critics argue that banning TikTok would infringe on free speech and disrupt the app’s 170 million American users, many of whom rely on it for entertainment, business, and social connections. Supporters of the ban, however, contend that national security risks outweigh these concerns.
As the deadline approaches, all eyes are on the final agreement. Whether TikTok secures a new U.S.-based owner or faces restrictions, this decision will have lasting implications for social media regulation, U.S.-China relations, and the broader tech industry.
