Trump open to extending TikTok sale deadline for a third time – Washington Examiner
President Donald Trump has indicated his willingness to extend the deadline for TikTok to divest from its Chinese owner, ByteDance, if a sale is not completed by that time. During an interview with NBC News, he affirmed that he would be open to extending the deadline again, expressing a certain affection for TikTok. This statement follows an earlier executive order that extended the sale deadline by 75 days due to complications in finalizing a deal between American investors adn ByteDance. The economic landscape has shifted, with tariffs on imports from China significantly increased, though reports suggest some easing of reciprocal tariffs by China, which may influence potential negotiations regarding TikTok’s future in the U.S. Trump emphasized that TikTok will be “strongly protected” moving forward.
Trump open to extending TikTok sale deadline for a third time
President Donald Trump was clear that if TikTok is once again unable to divest from its Chinese owner, ByteDance, he would extend the sale deadline.
Asked by NBC News’s Kristen Welker whether he would extend the sale deadline of the popular social media platform even further if a deal is still not able to be brokered, Trump flatly stated, “I would.”
“Perhaps I shouldn’t say this, but I have a little warm spot in my heart for TikTok,” he added.
Trump’s latest comments about the fate of the social media app follow his executive order on April 4 extending the sale deadline for another 75 days. That came after a deal was nearly finalized between American investors and ByteDance that would allow TikTok to continue operating within the U.S., only for China to abandon the deal after Trump’s hefty “Liberation Day” tariff took effect.
Now, however, that tariff is much higher, at 145%, and it applies to most Chinese imports. But with reports of China quietly easing some of its reciprocal tariffs on U.S. goods, a steep levy may not be a deterrent to accomplishing a deal like it was the last time around.
Trump suggested this in his comments on Sunday.
“TikTok is — it’s very interesting, but it’ll be protected. It’ll be very strongly protected. But if it needs an extension, I would be willing to give it an extension, might not need it,” he said.
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