US President Donald Trump.
Photo : AP
“We have a lot of interest in TikTok. And China is going to play a role, so hopefully China will approve of the deal, but they are going to play a role,” he added, without specifying the interested buyers.
The existing deadline stems from Trump’s January executive order, which granted ByteDance, 75 days to secure an American buyer or face a US ban. This directive was issued in response to a bipartisan law passed last year. Under the law, TikTok must sever ties with its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or face a ban in America.
“Right now we have at least another month, so we don’t need an extension,” Trump said, while still keeping the door open for more time if necessary.
Trump’s readiness to prolong the deadline marks a departure from his previous administration’s efforts to ban TikTok entirely. Recently, he suggested that the US should acquire a 50% stake in the app through a “joint venture,” potentially using a sovereign wealth fund.
This possible extension comes as trade tensions with China intensify. Trump recently raised tariffs by 10% on Chinese imports, prompting Beijing to retaliate with export restrictions on 15 US companies. Despite concerns over its ties to the Chinese government, ByteDance has been hesitant to sell TikTok. The app briefly went offline on January 19, the original congressionally mandated deadline, before Trump’s executive order granted additional time.
This article was originally published by a www.timesnownews.com . Read the Original article here. .