TikTok deal expected by April 5, says US vice president

US Vice President JD Vance expressed confidence that a deal to keep TikTok operational in the United States will be reached before the April 5 deadline.

“There will almost certainly be a high-level agreement that I think satisfies our national security concerns, allows there to be a distinct American TikTok enterprise,” Vance stated, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The context surrounding the potential deal stems from a law passed by then-President Joe Biden last year, which required TikTok’s US operations to be sold off from its parent company, ByteDance, or face a ban. When President Donald Trump took office, he extended the original deadline by 75 days to facilitate a potential sale to an American owner.

In January, Trump appointed Vance and national security adviser Michael Waltz to oversee the negotiations and manage the potential deal. Several prominent bidders have emerged, including a consortium led by former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and “Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Leary. However, ByteDance and the Chinese government have not publicly indicated a willingness to agree to a sale.

Trump had previously suggested he might extend the deadline further if no agreement is reached by April 5. However, Vance expressed a preference for a resolution before the deadline, saying, “We’d like to get it done without the extension.” He added that he was optimistic, asserting, “We’re going to be in a place where we can say TikTok is operational, and it’s also operational in a way that’s protective of Americans’ data privacy and America’s national security.”

As the deadline approaches, the US government continues to prioritize securing the app’s operational future in a manner that ensures both national security and data privacy concerns are addressed.

By Vafa Guliyeva