U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated he might extend the June 19 deadline for ByteDance, the China-based owner of TikTok, to divest the popular video-sharing app’s U.S. operations if a deal isn’t reached by then.
In an interview aired on NBC’s “Meet the Press with Kristen Welker” on Sunday, Trump expressed his willingness to see the negotiations through. “I’d like to see it done,” he said during the interview taped on Friday at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
Trump acknowledged TikTok’s influence among younger voters, especially after the app played a role in his success in the 2024 presidential election. “TikTok is very interesting, but it will be protected,” he remarked, suggesting a favorable stance toward the app’s continued presence in the U.S.
The Trump administration had previously set a deadline requiring TikTok to cease operations in the U.S. by January 19 unless ByteDance sold its U.S. assets. While the deadline was extended multiple times, the most recent extension pushes it to June 19.
A potential deal had been underway to spin off TikTok’s U.S. operations into a new company, majority-owned and operated by U.S. investors. However, progress stalled after the Chinese government signaled it might not approve the deal, following the U.S.’s imposition of steep tariffs on Chinese goods.
Democratic senators have questioned Trump’s authority to unilaterally extend the deadline and have raised concerns about the legality of the proposed deal.
An insider connected to ByteDance’s U.S. investors mentioned that negotiations are ongoing ahead of the June 19 deadline. However, they noted that resolving trade tensions between the White House and Beijing is crucial for any agreement to proceed.
During the interview, Trump highlighted China’s eagerness to reach a resolution, citing the impact of 145% tariffs on Chinese goods. “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,” he stated, hinting at the possibility of tariff adjustments as part of a broader deal.
ByteDance announced in early April that it remains in negotiations with the U.S. government. The company emphasized that no agreement has been reached due to unresolved key issues and stressed that any potential deal must comply with Chinese legal review procedures.
The outcome of these negotiations could have significant implications for TikTok’s millions of users in the U.S. and the broader relationship between the U.S. and the Chinese mainland amid ongoing trade disputes.
