US President Donald Trump said he is open to extending the June 19 deadline for China-based ByteDance to divest TikTok’s US assets, signaling flexibility amid ongoing US-China trade tensions and a stalled divestiture deal.
Speaking in an interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” Trump said he has a “sweet spot” for TikTok, which played a key role in energizing young voters during the 2024 election.
“TikTok is very interesting — but it will be protected,” he said from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
The current deadline stems from a law passed by Congress requiring TikTok to cease US operations by January 19 unless ByteDance divests.
Trump, who began his second term on January 20, has already granted two deadline extensions.
A potential deal had been in development to spin off TikTok’s US operations into a separate company with majority American ownership.
However, the plan stalled after Beijing opposed it following Trump’s imposition of sweeping 145% tariffs on Chinese goods.
Trump claimed the tariffs are exerting pressure on China’s economy but added he may reduce them “at some point” as part of a broader agreement.
“They want to do business very much,” he noted.
While Trump remains open to compromise, Democratic lawmakers argue he lacks the legal authority to extend the divestment deadline unilaterally.
Critics also question whether the proposed deal satisfies national security concerns over data access and Chinese law obligations.
The TikTok case underscores the growing intersection of national security, tech sovereignty, and trade leverage — with 170 million US users caught in the geopolitical crossfire.
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