JD Vance Confident TikTok Deal Will Be Reached by April Deadline

Vice President JD Vance expressed optimism that a high-level agreement to keep China’s TikTok operational in the United States will be in place by the April 5 deadline set by President Donald Trump.

In an interview with NBC News aboard Air Force Two, Vice President JD Vance stated his belief that the framework for creating “a distinct American TikTok enterprise” will be established by the April deadline, even if the final paperwork is not completed. The fate of the popular social media app has been uncertain since last year when then-President Joe Biden signed bipartisan legislation forcing TikTok’s Chinese-based owner, ByteDance, to sell the app to a non-Chinese buyer or face a nationwide ban in the U.S.

President Trump tasked Vice President Vance and national security adviser Michael Waltz with finding a U.S.-based buyer for TikTok. On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order instructing the Attorney General to delay enforcement of the ban for 75 days, effectively giving TikTok until April 5 to secure a U.S. buyer. The President has expressed hope that a deal can be reached soon and noted that the administration is in discussions with four potential buyer groups, which he did not identify. Trump has also indicated his willingness to grant an extension if a deal is not finalized by the deadline.

While ByteDance has not publicly confirmed negotiations with any potential U.S. buyers or its willingness to sell TikTok, Vance suggested that clerical issues could push the finalization of an agreement past the April deadline. He noted that even smaller deals involving less capital often take months to close, and the administration is attempting to complete the TikTok deal by early April.

Vance, who worked in venture capital before entering politics as a senator from Ohio, emphasized that the outlines of the deal will be very clear, but the primary concern is whether all the necessary paperwork can be completed in time. He expressed hope that an extension would not be necessary but acknowledged that the equity ownership of the new joint venture and the contracts for investors, customers, and service providers could take time to finalize.

Despite these challenges, Vance remains confident that TikTok will continue to operate in the United States, either through an extension or by securing a deal that satisfies national security concerns and protects Americans’ data privacy. In recent months, several potential buyers have expressed interest in acquiring the app, which has many millions of users and an estimated value of up to $50 billion.