Former U.S. President Donald Trump has stepped in to try and save TikTok from a nationwide ban. With the deadline just around the corner, Trump says a sale of the app is close. The popular video platform, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, has until April 5 to sell or risk being banned in the United States.
This move follows a bipartisan law passed last year, which ordered ByteDance to give up control of TikTok. The U.S. government says TikTok is a national security threat. Officials worry that the Chinese government could gain access to users’ personal data. China, on the other hand, denies any such risk. It says TikTok does not spy on users or share data with its government.
Trump Reveals Investors Ready to Buy
Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said that multiple investors are getting ready to make a deal. He also suggested that the U.S. could offer China relief on tariffs if it agrees to the sale. This statement adds a new layer of politics to the deal.
Several big names have shown interest. Amazon made a last-minute bid, though the company did not confirm it officially. Trump also named Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison as a possible buyer. Elon Musk was mentioned, but he quickly said he was not interested.
Other people and companies are lining up as well. Billionaire Frank McCourt and Canadian businessman Kevin O’Leary from Shark Tank are among the top contenders. Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian said he joined McCourt’s team. Even YouTuber MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, wants to be part of a group buying the platform.
In an unexpected twist, OnlyFans founder Tim Stokely made an offer through his company Zoop, which has recently been revived. Tech firms like Microsoft, Blackstone, and Andreessen Horowitz have also shown interest. Even AI startup Perplexity is in the race. The White House is said to be looking at a possible deal where ByteDance keeps the core algorithm and leases it to a U.S. company.
TikTok Faces Shutdown If No Deal Happens
The pressure is real. If no buyer is confirmed by April 5, TikTok could once again disappear from U.S. app stores. The app had already gone offline in January 2024, when the law took effect. Trump then used an executive order to delay enforcement for 75 days.
That order ends on April 5. Trump could let the law move forward or choose to give more time. Some reports suggest he may ask the Justice Department not to enforce the law. If that happens, Google and Apple might be allowed to keep TikTok in their stores without facing any legal trouble.
In February, TikTok returned to app stores after Google and Apple got informal promises that they would not be punished. Now, as the deadline approaches, uncertainty is growing again.
Competing Apps Get Ready to Take Over
TikTok is one of the most-used apps in the U.S. In 2024, it had 170 million users in the country. People spent an average of 51 minutes a day on the app. That kind of attention makes it a goldmine for advertisers.
If TikTok disappears, other platforms are ready to take over. Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts are seen as the biggest winners. Many ad agencies say they would shift their money to Meta (owner of Instagram) and Google (owner of YouTube) if TikTok is banned.
Amazon’s Twitch could also benefit. While it started as a streaming service for gamers, Twitch has now added music, talk shows, and other types of content. This wider mix could help it grab part of TikTok’s audience.
At the same time, China’s own app Xiaohongshu, known as RedNote in the U.S., is growing fast. It blends social media with shopping, and its unique features are gaining fans in both the U.S. and the U.K. If TikTok leaves, RedNote could try to fill the gap.
More Than Just an App
TikTok is more than just a platform for short videos. For many young people, it is where they get news, learn new skills, and connect with others. Creators, small businesses, and brands rely on the app to reach large audiences. A ban could affect millions of users and businesses.
This is why so many investors are racing to make a deal. Owning TikTok means having control over one of the most powerful media tools today.
The next few days are critical. If a buyer is announced and China agrees to the sale, TikTok might stay in the U.S. If not, it could vanish once again.
Trump’s role is key. He has shown he wants to avoid a full ban, but he also wants a deal that helps both U.S. interests and his own political goals. Whether a deal can be reached in time remains unclear.