U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that a buyer has been identified for TikTok, the widely used video-sharing app owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance. However, he acknowledged that finalizing the deal may require approval from the Chinese government.
“We have a buyer for TikTok, by the way,” Trump said during an interview on Fox News aired Sunday. He added, “I think I’ll need probably China’s approval. I think President Xi [Jinping] will probably do it.”
Trump did not disclose the identities of the prospective buyers, describing them only as “a group of very wealthy people.” He suggested more details would be released “in two weeks,” a timeline he has often used ambiguously in past public statements.
His remarks come amid lingering uncertainty over TikTok’s fate in the United States. Earlier this year, Trump backed legislation that would compel ByteDance to sell the U.S. operations of TikTok or face a nationwide ban, citing national security concerns tied to alleged data sharing with the Chinese government.
Though the proposed legislation has stalled in Congress, Trump has floated several alternatives, including a possible joint venture between ByteDance and American investors in which the U.S. would hold a 50% stake.
He has also previously named high-profile individuals like Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and entrepreneur Elon Musk as potential suitors. However, Musk’s involvement appears increasingly unlikely, given his current business obligations and past skepticism over government regulation and data privacy.
The Biden administration has likewise taken steps against TikTok but has not confirmed any formal negotiations regarding a sale.
With more than 170 million U.S. users, TikTok has strongly denied accusations of data sharing with the Chinese state and labeled any forced divestiture attempt as unconstitutional. The company has said it would challenge such actions in court, arguing they violate free speech rights and due process protections.
Meanwhile, Chinese authorities have made clear that any forced sale of TikTok’s U.S. assets would require Beijing’s approval, further complicating the prospect of a swift resolution amid ongoing tensions in U.S.-China relations.
