President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the United States is discussing with four parties interested in purchasing TikTok, as the Chinese-owned application faces a precarious future in the nation.
A US law mandates that TikTok must separate from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or face a ban in the United States.
When asked on Sunday if a deal regarding TikTok was imminent, Trump said, “It could be.”
The legislation prohibiting TikTok took effect on January 19 due to worries that the Chinese government might use the video-sharing app to spy on Americans or subtly sway US public opinion.
As the deadline for the law approached, TikTok temporarily ceased operations in the United States and was removed from app stores, disappointing millions of users.
Trump delayed the enforcement of this law for two and a half months after commencing his second term in January, seeking to negotiate a solution with Beijing.
TikTok eventually resumed its services in the United States and reappeared in Apple and Google app stores in February. Among the potential buyers for TikTok is an initiative known as “The People’s Bid for TikTok,” spearheaded by Frank McCourt through his Project Liberty initiative.
Also competing are Microsoft, Oracle, and a group that includes internet influencer MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson.
TikTok does not seem particularly eager to sell the app.
During his first term in the White House, Trump sought to ban TikTok in the United States, citing national security issues.
