President Donald Trump says there are U.S. buyers lined up for TikTok and hinted he could extend the deadline for its sale again. The app’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, faces a U.S. law requiring it to divest its American assets.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Trump said his administration would monitor TikTok but downplayed security concerns raised by lawmakers. “I’m really not concerned. I think it’s highly overrated … I’m a fan of TikTok,” he said.
The law passed in 2024 required TikTok to operating in the U.S. by January 19 of this year. Trump, however, has already extended the deadline several times. Most recently, it was pushed to September 17. The president added that he has not yet spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping about the matter, saying, “At the right time, I will.”
The White House itself joined TikTok on Tuesday, even as the sale issue lingers. Trump stressed that “very substantial American buyers” are interested in the app but gave no names.
Some lawmakers have criticized the repeated delays. They argue the administration is ignoring the law and downplaying security risks tied to Chinese ownership of TikTok. Still, Trump appears willing to give ByteDance and U.S. buyers more time to reach a deal.
