Trump Says He Will ‘Probably’ Extend TikTok Ban Deadline If No Deal Is Reached
US President Donald Trump has indicated that he would "probably" extend the deadline for TikTok’s forced sale if a deal isn’t reached in time.
Washington: US President Donald Trump has indicated that he would “probably” extend the deadline for TikTok’s forced sale if a deal isn’t reached in time.
When asked whether he would push back the deadline, Trump responded:
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“Probably, yeah. We have a lot of interest in TikTok, and China will play a role in the decision.”
He did not specify how long the potential extension might be but noted that there is still about a month left before the current deadline expires.
TikTok Faces Uncertain Future Amid National Security Concerns
Under a law signed in April 2024, TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is required to sell its US operations to an American or allied company due to national security concerns.
Trump extended the deadline in January, giving ByteDance until April 5 to secure a sale.
Despite this, the future of TikTok remains uncertain, as negotiations continue.
Also Read: Canada Delays Second Wave of Tariffs on US Goods Until April 2
Potential Buyers for TikTok US
Several high-profile figures and companies have expressed interest in acquiring TikTok’s US arm, including:
- MrBeast (YouTube star)
- Frank McCourt (Former Los Angeles Dodgers owner)
- Kevin O’Leary (“Shark Tank” investor)
- Elon Musk (Tesla & X owner, floated as a potential buyer)
- Larry Ellison (Oracle founder)
The Chinese government has also signaled a potential change in stance, raising speculation over whether a deal could still go through.
TikTok Ban and Its Impact
TikTok has already faced temporary shutdowns and removal from app stores in the past. The app was briefly offline for 12 hours in January, before Trump issued an executive order to extend its sale deadline.
While Trump remains open to an extension, the pressure remains on ByteDance to finalize a divestiture deal before April 5.
Will TikTok Be Sold or Banned?
With the TikTok ban deadline approaching, the next few weeks will be crucial for the future of the app in the United States.
If ByteDance fails to sell, TikTok could face a full ban, disrupting millions of users and content creators. However, a last-minute extension remains a possibility.
