Donald Trump revealed in an interview on Fox News that he has a group ready to buy TikTok and that their identities will be announced within two weeks.
He said any deal would need to get approval from Beijing and that President Xi Jinping is likely to approve it.
TikTok’s future in the United States remains in doubt after a law passed in 2024 called for a ban on the app unless it is sold by its Chinese owner, ByteDance.
Washington fears Beijing could manipulate content and access sensitive data from US users.
Earlier this month, Trump extended the deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok’s US operations for the third time since the Supreme Court upheld the law until September 17.
The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA) was originally scheduled to take effect on January 19. Under the act, internet providers and app stores could face penalties if they continue to support TikTok.
By the deadline, TikTok had almost ‘disappeared’ in the US but recovered after Trump gave further assurances.
Trump, who saw the app as helping to win over young voters in the last election, has insisted he wants TikTok to remain in the US as long as it is under new ownership.
