Trump Says Wealthy Buyer Lined Up for TikTok as Sale Deadline Looms
Former President Donald Trump has claimed he has secured a buyer for TikTok, the video-sharing platform banned in the U.S. over national security concerns.
In a recent Fox News interview, Trump said a group of “very wealthy people” is prepared to acquire the platform. When pressed for details, he responded, “I’ll tell you in about two weeks.”
Any deal would still require approval from the Chinese government, though Trump expressed confidence that President Xi Jinping “will probably do it.”
Earlier this month, Trump granted a third delay in enforcing the U.S. law mandating TikTok’s divestment. The latest extension gives TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, until 17 September to finalize a sale.
The BBC has reached out to TikTok for comment.
A previous attempt to sell the app to an American buyer collapsed in April after tensions escalated between Washington and Beijing over tariffs. It remains unclear whether the group Trump now references is the same entity involved in the earlier failed negotiations.
Congress passed legislation last April requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok, citing concerns that U.S. user data could be accessed by the Chinese government—an allegation TikTok has repeatedly denied.
Although Trump was critical of TikTok during his first term, he has since shifted his stance, crediting the platform with helping boost his appeal during the 2024 campaign and now supports allowing its continued use in the U.S.
The law, originally set to take effect on 19 January, has been repeatedly postponed by Trump through executive action—delays that have sparked criticism from lawmakers who accuse him of sidestepping Congress.
TikTok challenged the law’s constitutionality but ultimately lost its appeal at the U.S. Supreme Court.
