Former U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated he may once again extend the deadline for ByteDance, the China-based owner of TikTok, to sell its U.S. assets. The current deadline is set for June 19, but Trump suggested flexibility if a deal isn’t finalized by then.
In an interview with NBC News’ ‘Meet the Press with Kristen Welker’, recorded Friday and broadcast nationally on Sunday, Trump expressed interest in seeing a resolution:
“I would … I would like to see it done,” he said, referring to the sale.
Trump acknowledged his personal fondness for TikTok, noting that the platform played a role in gaining the support of younger voters during the last presidential election. He remarked:
“TikTok is – it’s very interesting, but it will be protected.”
Earlier in April, Trump had already extended the deadline by over two months to allow more time for a non-Chinese buyer to step in. However, a potential sale was derailed due to the impact of tariffs he imposed on Chinese goods.
While another extension is on the table, Trump suggested it might not be necessary this time around.