Trump's assertion regarding a potential buyer for TikTok comes amid ongoing legal and political challenges surrounding the app's ownership and its Chinese parent company, ByteDance.
Trump Claims He Has 'Very Wealthy' Buyers for TikTok Acquisition
Trump Claims He Has 'Very Wealthy' Buyers for TikTok Acquisition
In a recent Fox News interview, Donald Trump revealed that he has a group of affluent individuals interested in purchasing TikTok, a platform previously banned in the U.S. due to national security concerns.
In a Fox News interview, former President Donald Trump disclosed that a collective of "very wealthy people" is prepared to acquire TikTok, the popular video-sharing application that faced a ban in the United States over alleged national security threats. Trump hinted that more information will be shared in a fortnight, adding, “I’ll tell you in about two weeks.”
While any sale would require approval from the Chinese government, Trump expressed optimism that President Xi Jinping "will probably do it." This announcement coincides with a third delay in the enforcement of a law mandating TikTok’s sale, with the latest deadline set for September 17.
The BBC has reached out to TikTok for comments regarding the situation. A previous attempt to sell TikTok to an American buyer fell through in April, amid heightened tensions between the White House and China over tariffs. Details about whether the current interested buyers are the same as those from the earlier negotiations remain unclear.
Last year, the U.S. Congress enacted legislation requiring a divestment from TikTok, citing concerns that the app could potentially share American user data with the Chinese government, a claim that TikTok has denied. While Trump criticized TikTok during his presidency, he later acknowledged its potential as a tool in his 2024 electoral strategy, supporting its ongoing presence in the U.S.
The original deadline for the law's enforcement was January 19, but Trump has persistently postponed action through executive orders, which has garnered criticism for circumventing congressional authority. Following a failed constitutional challenge against the law by TikTok, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the legislation.
While any sale would require approval from the Chinese government, Trump expressed optimism that President Xi Jinping "will probably do it." This announcement coincides with a third delay in the enforcement of a law mandating TikTok’s sale, with the latest deadline set for September 17.
The BBC has reached out to TikTok for comments regarding the situation. A previous attempt to sell TikTok to an American buyer fell through in April, amid heightened tensions between the White House and China over tariffs. Details about whether the current interested buyers are the same as those from the earlier negotiations remain unclear.
Last year, the U.S. Congress enacted legislation requiring a divestment from TikTok, citing concerns that the app could potentially share American user data with the Chinese government, a claim that TikTok has denied. While Trump criticized TikTok during his presidency, he later acknowledged its potential as a tool in his 2024 electoral strategy, supporting its ongoing presence in the U.S.
The original deadline for the law's enforcement was January 19, but Trump has persistently postponed action through executive orders, which has garnered criticism for circumventing congressional authority. Following a failed constitutional challenge against the law by TikTok, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the legislation.
