Former US President Donald Trump has announced that he has found a buyer for the popular social media platform TikTok, amid ongoing concerns about national security.
Speaking on Fox's Sunday Morning Futures program, Trump revealed that a group of wealthy individuals has agreed to purchase the platform, though their identities remain undisclosed for now.
"We have a buyer for TikTok, by the way. Very wealthy people. It's a group of wealthy people," Trump stated, adding that their identities would be revealed "in about two weeks."
Chinese Approval May Be Required
The former president acknowledged that the sale might require approval from China, as TikTok is owned by Beijing-based internet company ByteDance. "I think President Xi (Jinping) will probably do it," Trump remarked, suggesting he believes the Chinese leader would approve the transaction.
This development comes after a federal law mandated that TikTok must either be sold or banned on national security grounds. The ban was originally scheduled to take effect just before Trump's inauguration on January 20, but he paused it upon taking office.
In June, Trump extended the deadline for the sale by another 90 days, giving ByteDance more time to find a suitable buyer for its US operations.
National Security Concerns
The push to sell or ban TikTok stems from concerns about potential data security risks. US lawmakers have expressed fears that the Chinese government could access American users' data through ByteDance, potentially compromising national security.
TikTok has consistently denied these allegations, maintaining that user data is stored securely and not accessible by the Chinese government.
The platform has become enormously popular worldwide, particularly among younger users, with over a billion active users globally.
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