U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed that his administration is in discussions with four different groups regarding the sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations, stating that all options remain viable.
According to a Reuters report, Trump made this known on Sunday while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One.
His statement comes as ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, faces a looming deadline to divest the app due to national security concerns.
Asked whether a deal for TikTok was imminent, Trump responded, “it could.” He further stated, “We’re dealing with four different groups, and a lot of people want it … all four are good.”
Backstory
The sale of TikTok has been uncertain since a U.S. law requiring ByteDance to sell the app or face a ban took effect on January 19 over concerns about data privacy and national security.
- Trump, after assuming office on January 20, signed an executive order delaying enforcement of the law by 75 days.
His decision to delay the ban was framed as an effort to “determine the appropriate course of action with respect to TikTok,” signaling that his administration was open to negotiations.
- Under the terms of the law, TikTok must now secure a deal with a U.S. buyer to continue operating. Trump has floated the idea that the app should be owned through a joint venture that is at least 50 per cent controlled by U.S. investors.
- He has also warned China that any attempt to block the sale could result in tariffs of “25, 30, 50%, even 100%.”
TikTok has consistently denied allegations that it cooperates with the Chinese government, insisting that it operates independently.
The company has said it does not share user data with Beijing and has taken steps to distance itself from its Chinese parent company, including setting up operations in the United States and hiring American executives.
TikTok bid
As negotiations over TikTok’s future continue, the race to acquire TikTok has attracted numerous bidders. Among those bidding for TikTok’s U.S. assets is former Los Angeles Dodgers owner, Frank McCourt, who has partnered with Reddit co-founder and venture capitalist, Alexis Ohanian as a strategic adviser focused on social media.
“He has that broad portfolio of experience … of where social media was and, I think, a keen understanding of where it’s evolving,” McCourt said.
Ohanian, who co-founded Reddit in 2005 and later sold it to Conde Nast in 2006, has a strong investment portfolio that includes Instacart, Patreon, and OpenSea.
McCourt refers to his bid as “The People’s Bid” and plans to run the app on technology that enhances user control over data usage and privacy. He and his partners submitted their bid in early January 2025, ahead of the impending deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations.
