Trump confident of TikTok deal before April 5 deadline

U.S. President Donald Trump expressed confidence on Sunday that a deal would be reached for the sale of TikTok ahead of the April 5 deadline. Under a U.S. law enacted earlier this year, the app’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, must sell its U.S. operations or face a ban due to national security concerns.

"We have a lot of potential buyers. There's tremendous interest in TikTok," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. "We’re also dealing with China because they may have something to do with it. I’d like to see TikTok remain alive."

China Rejects Trump's Proposal

The White House has been facilitating discussions among investors, with key non-Chinese backers of ByteDance exploring options to increase their stakes and acquire TikTok’s U.S. business, according to Reuters. However, on Thursday, China dismissed Trump's suggestion of reducing tariffs in exchange for Beijing's approval of the sale.

Earlier this month, Trump confirmed that the U.S. is in talks with four different groups interested in purchasing the platform, which boasts 170 million American users.

The TikTok Ban & Trump's Deadline

The law mandating ByteDance to divest TikTok took effect on January 19, a day before Trump’s inauguration. However, he postponed enforcement, allowing TikTok to continue operating temporarily. That delay is set to expire on April 5.

Since returning to the White House, Trump has insisted that TikTok must secure a non-Chinese buyer before the deadline or face a ban. When asked whether he would extend the deadline if no deal is reached, Trump responded, “There’ll be a deal with TikTok, I’m pretty certain.”

Trump’s Changing Stance on TikTok

During his first term, Trump sought to ban TikTok over national security concerns. However, he has since softened his stance, acknowledging the platform’s influence, particularly among young voters.

"Selfishly speaking, I won the young vote by 36 points. Republicans generally don’t do very well with the young crowd, and I think a lot of it could have been TikTok," he remarked.

On his first day back in office, Trump also warned that he might impose tariffs on China if Beijing refuses to approve a U.S. deal involving TikTok. The app, used by nearly half of all Americans, briefly went offline in January after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the ban. However, it was restored within days following Trump’s inauguration.