In a surprising turn during a recent campaign rally, former U.S. President Donald Trump casually dropped a headline-worthy comment: “We have a buyer for TikTok, by the way.” While he didn’t mention any names or specifics, the statement immediately stirred up buzz about what might be going on behind the scenes.
This comes as pressure continues to mount on ByteDance — the Chinese parent company of TikTok — to sell off its U.S. operations. American lawmakers have voiced growing concerns that the app could be a security threat, accusing it of potentially sharing user data with the Chinese government. TikTok has consistently denied these claims.
Back in April 2024, Congress passed a law giving ByteDance a deadline: sell TikTok’s U.S. arm by early 2025 or face a nationwide ban. ByteDance is currently challenging that move in court, arguing that the law is unconstitutional and unfairly targets the app’s massive American user base.
This isn’t the first time Trump has taken aim at TikTok. During his presidency, he had pushed for a forced sale too — with companies like Oracle and Walmart showing interest — but a deal never materialized.
Trump’s latest remark reignites that conversation. Although there’s been no official confirmation from ByteDance, the U.S. government, or any prospective buyers, his words suggest there could be active discussions underway.
With millions of Americans using TikTok daily, any future sale or ban wouldn’t just shake up social media — it could also have big implications for tech policy, digital rights, and U.S.-China relations.
