Trump says he’ll extend TikTok deadline if no deal reached by June 19

U.S. President Donald Trump said he is willing to extend the June 19 deadline for TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, to sell its U.S. operations if a deal isn’t reached in time. He made the comments during an interview with NBC News aired Sunday.

Trump, who won strong support from young voters in the 2024 election, said he has a “soft spot” for the app, which is used by 170 million Americans. “TikTok will be protected,” he said.

The original ban on TikTok was set to begin in January, but Trump has already delayed it twice. A proposed deal would have created a U.S.-based company for TikTok, owned mainly by American investors. However, talks stalled after China opposed the move, especially after Trump announced 145% tariffs on Chinese goods.

Trump claimed the tariffs were pressuring China’s economy and said the country is eager to strike a deal. He added that while he may reduce tariffs in the future, he won’t do it just to push negotiations forward.

Democratic lawmakers argue Trump doesn’t have the legal power to keep extending the deadline and believe the deal may not meet U.S. legal standards.

ByteDance confirmed in April that negotiations are still ongoing but said no agreement has been made yet. The company also stated any deal must pass Chinese legal reviews.

Source: CGTN