US President Donald Trump said he is confident a deal will be struck to sell TikTok’s American operations ahead of a looming April 5 deadline, as pressure mounts for the social media platform to divest from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or face a ban in the United States.
Speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump told reporters that multiple buyers are interested in acquiring TikTok.
“We have a lot of potential buyers. There’s tremendous interest in TikTok,” he said. “The decision is going to be my decision, as you know, through Congress. They’ve given me the power to make the decision.”
The move to force ByteDance’s divestment stems from US national security concerns, with lawmakers fearing the app could be used by Beijing for data collection and propaganda.
The legislation, passed in early 2024 with bipartisan support, required ByteDance to sell TikTok to a US entity by January 19. However, after taking office, Trump signed an executive order delaying the enforcement of the ban, extending the deadline to April 5 to allow negotiations to continue.
Several US investors, including General Atlantic and Susquehanna International Group, are reportedly in talks to take a larger stake in TikTok. Oracle, a long-time contender for involvement in the deal, is expected to play a key role in ensuring the security of the platform’s US user data.
Private equity giant Blackstone has also been evaluating a minority investment in TikTok’s US operations, according to sources cited by Reuters. Meanwhile, other interested parties include AI startup Perplexity and a consortium involving YouTube influencer MrBeast.
While Trump remains optimistic about a sale, he acknowledged that China’s approval is necessary for the deal to go through. “We’re dealing with China also on it, because they may have something to do with it,” he said, hinting at potential trade negotiations.
Trump has previously suggested that he could offer Beijing a reduction in tariffs to facilitate the sale, though Chinese officials have yet to signal their stance.
Despite the president’s confidence, concerns remain over ByteDance retaining any stake in TikTok. Senator Tom Cotton, a key voice on the Senate Intelligence Committee, has pushed for complete Chinese divestment, though he has reportedly softened his stance to allow negotiations to proceed smoothly.
Should no deal be reached by April 5, Trump has hinted at the possibility of another extension, but has not committed to it. The White House is reportedly playing a central role in the talks, with Vice President JD Vance leading negotiations.
With TikTok having over 170 million users in the US alone, the fate of the platform remains a closely watched issue. A resolution in the coming days will determine whether the app continues to operate under new ownership or faces a potential ban.
