President Donald Trump has tasked Vice President J.D. Vance with brokering a potential sale of TikTok to a U.S.-based entity before the ban extension deadline in April. The White House negotiators, including National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, face the challenge of negotiating with ByteDance and China to find an arrangement that addresses U.S. national security concerns. The possibility of a 50/50 American and Chinese joint ownership has been floated, but nothing is set in stone. American suitors are interested in acquiring the popular social media app as the negotiations unfold.
TikTok initially faced a ban, which was upheld by the Supreme Court, but was temporarily lifted by Trump’s executive order on the first day of his presidency. Users have been able to access the app during the 75-day reprieve, but Google and Apple are not offering it in their app stores. Trump’s administration has stated that the private companies will not be penalized for offering the app for download.
ByteDance may be more willing to negotiate a sale now that their options to maintain control of the app have been exhausted. American buyers, including personalities like MrBeast and billionaire Frank McCourt, are interested in acquiring TikTok. Lawmakers like Rep. Jason Crow emphasize the importance of maintaining access to TikTok for American users while ensuring it is divested from ByteDance. The situation remains fluid as negotiations continue.
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