WASHINGTON D.C, USA – President Donald Trump has set a firm deadline of April 5 for a deal to be reached regarding TikTok’s ownership, as the U.S. government intensifies its pressure on the app’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest TikTok’s U.S. operations.
If a deal is not struck by that date, the administration has indicated that TikTok could face a ban on national security grounds under a law passed in 2024.
“We have a lot of potential buyers,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday.
“There’s tremendous interest in TikTok,” he added, expressing a desire to see the popular app remain operational in the U.S. TikTok has not responded publicly to the remarks.
The future of TikTok in the U.S. has been uncertain since the 2024 law was enacted, requiring ByteDance to sell the app’s U.S. business by January 19.
The deadline was later extended to April 5, with Trump previously stating that he was open to pushing the deadline further if progress toward a deal was made.
Private equity firm Blackstone has emerged as a potential investor, reportedly evaluating a minority investment in TikTok’s U.S. operations.
Sources say Blackstone is in discussions with ByteDance’s existing non-Chinese shareholders, including Susquehanna International Group and General Atlantic, to contribute additional capital to bid for the social media platform’s U.S. business.
The group is now seen as a front-runner in the negotiations.
The U.S. government has raised national security concerns over TikTok’s ownership by ByteDance, arguing that the Chinese government could use the app to conduct influence operations or collect data on American citizens.
Trump has acknowledged that China will have a role in the negotiations, suggesting that Beijing’s approval may be needed to finalize any deal.
“Maybe I’ll give them a little reduction in tariffs or something to get it done,” he said last week.
Vice President JD Vance has expressed confidence that the general terms of an agreement will be reached by the April 5 deadline, with the administration playing an active role in guiding the negotiations.
The White House has taken an unprecedented level of involvement in the deal, effectively taking on the role of investment bank to facilitate the transaction.
