On Sunday, aboard Air Force One, U.S. President Donald Trump disclosed that his administration is currently in discussions with four different groups regarding the sale of Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok. President Trump expressed optimism, stating that all options were viable.
The future of TikTok has been uncertain following a law that came into effect on January 19, requiring its owner ByteDance to sell the platform due to national security concerns or face a ban. Shortly after taking office on January 20, President Trump signed an executive order to postpone the law’s enforcement by 75 days.
When questioned about the possibility of a forthcoming deal concerning TikTok, President Trump indicated that it was a possibility. He informed reporters, “We’re engaging with four different groups, and there is significant interest… all four groups are strong contenders.”
At the time of reporting, TikTok and ByteDance had not responded to Reuters’ requests for comments outside of regular business hours. The uncertainty surrounding TikTok has attracted various potential buyers, including former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, who have shown interest in acquiring the rapidly growing business, estimated by analysts to be valued at up to $50 billion.
(Reporting by Gram Slattery; Writing by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Tom Hogue and Jamie Freed)
