Trump confident of TikTok deal before April 5 deadline

On Sunday, President Donald Trump expressed optimism about finalizing a deal regarding TikTok before the April 5 deadline, which requires its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to either sell the widely-used short video application or face a ban in the United States.

"We have numerous potential buyers. There is significant interest in TikTok," Trump stated to reporters aboard Air Force One.

"There are many parties interested in purchasing TikTok. We are also negotiating with China on this matter, as they may have a role in it," he added, expressing his desire for TikTok to continue operating.

This month, Trump revealed that the United States is in discussions with four groups looking to acquire the platform, which boasts 170 million users in America.

A U.S. law mandates that TikTok must divest from ByteDance or face a ban, due to concerns that the Chinese government could use the app for espionage or to manipulate public opinion in the U.S.

This legislation came into effect on January 19, just one day before Trump’s inauguration, but he promptly announced a postponement that has allowed TikTok to remain functional.

That postponement is set to end on April 5.

"I am quite confident there will be a deal with TikTok," Trump remarked when asked if he would consider extending the deadline in the absence of an agreement.

During his first term, Trump sought to prohibit TikTok in the U.S. over national security issues, but he has since become more favorable towards the app.

"From a personal standpoint, I won the youth vote by 36 points. Generally, Republicans struggle to connect with younger voters, and I believe TikTok played a significant role in that," he noted.