The sale of TikTok would require approval from the Chinese government, as TikTok is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance. However, Trump told Fox he believes President Xi Jinping is likely to approve the deal.

Earlier this month, Trump issued his third delay in enforcing a law requiring ByteDance to divest from TikTok. Under the latest extension, the company must finalize a deal to sell the platform by September 17.

Previous Deal Collapsed Amid U.S.-China Tensions

A prior deal to sell TikTok to American buyers fell through in April, amid escalating tensions between Washington and Beijing over Trump-era tariffs. It remains unclear whether the current interested buyers are the same parties involved in previous negotiations.

In April of last year, the U.S. Congress passed legislation requiring TikTok to sell its U.S. operations, citing fears that the app or its parent company could share American user data with the Chinese government — an accusation that TikTok has consistently denied.

Trump’s Shifting Stance on TikTok

During his first term, Trump was a vocal critic of TikTok, viewing it as a threat to national security. However, since the 2024 election, he has reversed his position and now supports keeping TikTok operational in the U.S., suggesting it may have contributed to his electoral success.

The law, originally set to take effect on January 19, has now been repeatedly postponed through executive actions by Trump — a move that has drawn criticism as an overreach of presidential power over congressional authority.

TikTok had challenged the legislation in court, arguing it violated constitutional rights, but ultimately lost the case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

https://www.thairath.co.th/news/foreign/2867529