Will TikTok get banned on April 5? Trump admin working with ‘4 different groups’ interested in buying the platform

President Donald Trump has shared an update on potential TikTok buyers nearly two months after signing an executive order to extend a ban deadline.

President Donald Trump has shared an update on potential TikTok buyers nearly two months after signing an executive order to extend a ban deadline on the social media platform. He told reporters aboard Air Force One that his administration is working with "four different groups" that are interested in buying the Chinese-owned social media app.

Will TikTok get banned on April 5? (REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo)(REUTERS)

"A lot of people want it and it's up to me," Trump said, but did not reveal which groups he is working with.

Will TikTok get banned on April 5?

Under federal legislation signed into law by former President Joe Biden, TikTok was banned in the US on January 19 for about 12 hours. However, Trump then assured US internet service providers and app stores that they would not face any penalties for providing its service, prompting the platform to reemerge.

Trump previously supported a TikTok ban during his first term. However, on his first day back in office, the president signed an executive order to extend the ban deadline for 75 days.

Now, TikTok's owner ByteDance has until April 5 to divest the app. If TikTok isn’t sold by the deadline, it will again become illegal for US internet service providers and app stores to host the platform.

Although Trump did not specify who is interested in buying TikTok, among those who expressed interest in the past are Project Liberty, MrBeast, Perplexity AI, Bobby Kotick, Doug McMillion, Microsoft and Rumble. Trump said he would be open to Elon Musk buying TikTok in January, but the SpaceX CEO said he is not interested.

"I have not put in a bid for TikTok," Musk said during a German media summit last month. "I don't have any plans for what I would do if I had TikTok." He also said that he is not familiar with the platform’s format and does not use it.

At present, TikTok is available on app stores.