US in talks with 4 teams over TikTok sale, says Donald Trump
US President Donald Trump mentioned on Sunday that his administration is discussing the sale of TikTok with 4 completely different teams and considers all choices viable.
The Chinese language-owned social media platform has been beneath scrutiny within the US over information safety considerations, prompting efforts to switch its possession to an American firm.
On Thursday, US President Donald Trump mentioned he would “most likely” prolong the April 5 deadline for ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese language father or mother firm, to promote the social media platform or face a ban in america.
His feedback come because the deadline approaches, following a 75-day extension granted by means of an govt order in January. The extension had quickly stored TikTok operational after the app briefly went offline on January 19 when a congressionally mandated deadline was missed.
Trump alerts attainable delay in TikTok sale deadline
The deadline was set by Trump’s govt order in January, granting ByteDance, TikTok’s China-based proprietor, 75 days to safe an American purchaser or threat being banned within the US.
This directive got here after a bipartisan regulation was handed final yr, citing nationwide safety dangers as the rationale for the pressured sale.
Trump’s openness to extending the deadline alerts a departure from his earlier administration’s efforts to ban TikTok totally. Just lately, he proposed that the US ought to purchase a 50 % stake within the platform by means of a “three way partnership,” probably involving a sovereign wealth fund.
The attainable deadline extension comes amid rising commerce tensions with China. Trump not too long ago launched an extra 10 % tariff on Chinese language imports, main Beijing to retaliate with new export restrictions on 15 US firms.
Regardless of ongoing considerations over its ties to the Chinese language authorities, ByteDance has been hesitant to promote TikTok. The app was briefly taken offline on January 19—the unique congressionally mandated deadline—earlier than Trump’s govt order granted it extra time.
Final month, Vice President JD Vance and Nationwide Safety Advisor Michael Walz had been assigned to supervise the potential sale negotiations.
With Reuters inputs
