Commerce Secretary: Trump Aims to Meet TikTok Ownership Deadline Without Extension

The fate of TikTok’s U.S. operations hangs in the balance as the April 5 divestment deadline approaches, with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick indicating that former President Donald Trump aims to finalize a deal within the established timeframe despite earlier suggestions of a possible extension.

In comments made during a March 14 interview with Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria,” Lutnick emphasized Trump’s commitment to the current deadline, stating: “It’s in Donald Trump’s hands. He is going to make the decision how he wants to play it,” adding that “you know Donald Trump. He wants to do it in the timeframe that he was given.”

The Commerce Secretary further explained that Trump “doesn’t like to ask for extensions” and is “going to try to get it done in the timeframe that he has … that’s number one.” This position appears to contradict Trump’s statement from the previous week, when he told reporters he would “probably” extend the April 5 deadline if ByteDance, TikTok’s Beijing-based parent company, failed to reach a divestment deal in time.

The current deadline stems from a January executive order signed by Trump that gave ByteDance 75 days to divest from TikTok’s U.S. operations or face potential prohibition in the United States. This followed congressional action on January 19 that established a divest-or-ban deadline due to national security concerns associated with the platform.

TikTok’s algorithm-driven platform, which boasts approximately 170 million American users among its 2 billion global user base, has long raised alarms among security experts and government officials. Critics warn that the Chinese Communist Party could potentially access the vast user data collected by the app and leverage its algorithm to influence American culture and public opinion.

Despite Trump previously indicating that an extension might not be necessary due to “a lot of interest” in acquiring TikTok, Lutnick acknowledged that reaching a deal by the April 5 deadline is not guaranteed. “He doesn’t control everything, but he is going to try his best,” the Commerce Secretary said.

The marketplace is indeed showing significant interest in TikTok’s U.S. operations. Several potential buyers have emerged, including YouTube personality Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson and a joint bid from “Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Leary and former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt. Trump himself recently confirmed active negotiations with four interested parties but declined to identify the prospective buyers.

When questioned about Trump’s proposal to create a sovereign wealth fund to purchase TikTok, Lutnick offered limited details, saying only that it would “make a ton of money and not take risk.”

The TikTok divestment saga has already seen significant drama. Just one day before Trump’s inauguration, the congressional deadline temporarily caused TikTok to disappear from U.S. app stores for several hours. The platform was quickly restored after Trump promised to extend the deadline once back in office.

As the April deadline approaches, ByteDance’s ability to divest its California-based TikTok subsidiary remains uncertain, particularly given Trump’s acknowledgment that “China is going to play a role,” adding, “So hopefully, China will approve of the deal.”

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