Donald Trump Photo: AP
The deal to sell the US segment of TikTok will be concluded by the deadline of Saturday, 5 April, US President Donald Trump said during a conversation with journalists on board Air Force One, Reuters reports.
“There are a lot of potential buyers. There is a huge interest in TikTok. I would like to see TikTok stay alive,” Trump said.
TikTok has not yet commented on the US president’s statement.
Blackstone considers investment in
According to Reuters, private equity firm Blackstone is exploring a minority stake in TikTok’s US business. The main contenders for the purchase are the current non-Chinese shareholders of ByteDance, including Susquehanna International Group and General Atlantic, which are ready to invest additional capital.
Threat to national security
Washington believes that ByteDance’s ownership of the TikTok platform could threaten US national security. Officials fear that Beijing is using the app to collect American data and influence public opinion.
Earlier, the White House demanded that ByteDance sell TikTok or face a ban in the US. It is still an open question whether the deal will pass all national security checks.
