President Donald Trump said he’s willing to extend the June 19 deadline for TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell off its American TikTok operations to a U.S.-owned company if a deal isn’t finalized by then.
In an interview with NBC News’ Meet the Press, taped Friday at Mar-a-Lago and aired Sunday, Trump said, “I would … I’d like to see it done,” signaling he’s open to another reprieve from enforcement of the congressionally-mandated ban on the popular short video app. Trump has already extended the deadline twice — first from Jan. 19 to early April and again to June — after Congress required ByteDance to sell its U.S. assets or see TikTok shut down in the American market.
The deal under discussion would create a U.S.-based company to take over TikTok’s American operations, with a majority of its ownership held by U.S. investors. But those negotiations stalled following Trump’s announcement of steep new tariffs on Chinese imports.
Despite criticism from Senate Democrats who argue the president has no legal authority to unilaterally extend the deadline, Trump appears confident in his approach. He said that Chinese officials are eager to find a resolution, especially as their economy reels under the pressure of the 145% tariffs. (RELATED: ROOKE: China’s Using Unconventional Warfare To Fight Trump’s Tariffs)
“China wants to do a deal very badly,” Trump told NBC. “But I’m not going to drop the tariffs to get them to the table. At some point, I’m going to lower them because otherwise you could never do business with them. And they want to do business very much.”
While legal questions swirl, sources close to ByteDance’s U.S. investors say they’re still working toward a divestiture plan ahead of the deadline — but admit it’s unlikely to move forward unless the broader U.S.-China tariff standoff is resolved.
Trump also acknowledged TikTok’s unique role in his 2024 campaign, crediting the platform with helping him connect with younger voters. “TikTok is — it’s very interesting, but it will be protected,” he said. “I have a sweet spot for it.”
