Donald Trump says ‘very wealthy' group to buy TikTok
Don't miss out on the headlines from Technology. Followed categories will be added to My News.
US President Donald Trump has revealed that a group of buyers has been found for TikTok, which faces an imminent ban in the United States due to its China ties, adding he could name the purchasers in two weeks.
'We have a buyer for TikTok, by the way,' Mr Trump said in an interview on Fox's Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo.
'Very wealthy people. It's a group of wealthy people,' the president said, without revealing more except to say he would make their identities known 'in about two weeks.'
The US president also said he would likely need 'China approval' for the sale, 'and I think President Xi (Jinping) will probably do it.'
TikTok is owned by China-based internet company ByteDance.
A federal law requiring TikTok's sale or ban on national security grounds was due to take effect the day before Trump's inauguration on January 20. But the Republican, whose 2024 election campaign relied heavily on social media and who has said he is fond of TikTok, put the ban on pause.
In mid-June Mr Trump extended a deadline for the popular video-sharing app by another 90 days to find a non-Chinese buyer or be banned in the United States.
Tech experts quickly described the TikTok kerfuffle as a symbol of the heated US-China tech rivalry.
While Mr Trump had long supported a ban or divestment, he reversed his position and vowed to defend the platform - which boasts almost two billion global users - after coming to believe it helped him win young voters' support in the November election.
'I have a little warm spot in my heart for TikTok,' Mr Trump told NBC News in early May. 'If it needs an extension, I would be willing to give it an extension.'
Now after two extensions pushed the deadline to June 19, Mr Trump has extended it for a third time.
He said in May that a group of purchasers was ready to pay ByteDance 'a lot of money' for TikTok's US operations.
The previous month he said China would have agreed to a deal on the sale of TikTok if it were not for a dispute over the Trump administration's tariffs on Beijing.
ByteDance has confirmed talks with the US government, saying key matters needed to be resolved and that any deal would be 'subject to approval under Chinese law.' Read related topics: Donald Trump
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Herald Sun
44 minutes ago
- Herald Sun
Break it Down: Anson and POSCO team up for US direct lithium extraction plant
Don't miss out on the headlines from Stockhead. Followed categories will be added to My News. Stockhead's Break it Down brings you today's leading market news in under 90 seconds. In this episode, host Tylah Tully investigates Anson Resources (ASX:ASN) and its MoU with Korean battery maker POSCO to develop a direct lithium extraction demonstration plant at the Green River project in Utah. Watch the video to learn more. While Anson Resources is a Stockhead advertiser, it did not sponsor this content. Originally published as Break it Down: Anson and POSCO team up for US direct lithium extraction plant Stockhead GTI Energy has raised $4.5 million to fund resource expansion and infill drilling at its Lo Herma Uranium project in Wyoming. Stockhead Tetratherix today has listed at a solid premium to its IPO price, raising the hopes of other life science outfits eyeing an ASX debut.
Sky News AU
an hour ago
- Sky News AU
Defence expert says PM is ‘listening to Beijing' while dodging questions about Chinese aggression
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has come under blistering criticism from one of the country's top strategic analysts for his refusal to label China a security threat, as tensions continue to mount in the Indo-Pacific. Michael Shoebridge, Director of Strategic Analysis Australia, said the Prime Minister's reaction to recent comments from China's ambassador Xiao Qian showed a concerning willingness to 'listen to ridiculous propaganda lines from Beijing'. 'Mr Albanese was asked directly if China is a security threat and he couldn't even say the word,' Mr Shoebridge told Sky News host Cheng Lei. 'It's unfortunate that the only person who seems likely to take Ambassador Xiao's advice seriously is our Prime Minister.' His comments follow on from China's ambassador Xiao Qian, who urged Australia not to increase its defence spending. Mr Shoebridge likened the ambassador's claims to 'a wolf pretending to be Red Riding Hood's grandma', saying the regime has 'no good story to tell' on regional security. 'Xi Jinping has ordered the Chinese military, the People's Liberation Army, the Party's Army, the Communist Party's Army, to be ready to fight and win at a moment's notice,' he said. 'He's told them their top priority is being prepared to invade Taiwan.' He added that Chinese aggression wasn't limited to Taiwan. 'We see similar kinds of aggression from China in Southeast Asia,' Shoebridge said. 'The Chinese military is busily monitoring regional countries like Vietnam and the Philippines. Maritime militias are massing in swarms in the Philippines right now.' Despite that, Shoebridge said Australia's government is failing to articulate the threat or justify its strategic partnerships. 'Why on earth is he in AUKUS? If AUKUS and those nuclear submarines are not all about deterring an aggressive China?' he said. 'We don't hear from the Prime Minister what the purpose of our alliance with America is or that massive expenditure on submarines.' On defence spending, Shoebridge rejected both Beijing's arguments and the Albanese government's current funding targets. Australia currently spends just over 2 per cent of GDP - well below the 3.5 per cent target he recommends as a minimum. Mr Shoebridge warned the current funding level is insufficient to support even the existing defence plans. 'You cannot have a modern defence force and nuclear submarines for between 2 and 2.3 per cent of our GDP,' he said. 'We need to be spending at least three, probably three and a half percent - just to afford the Defence Force we've got on the books.' He also warned against relying on foreign defence contractors, urging support for domestic capabilities. 'If we want to actually have things like drone and counter-drone defences, we need to invest in Australian companies,' he said.
SBS Australia
an hour ago
- SBS Australia
Signs of progress on a Gaza ceasefire as Iran says it will 'never stop' nuclear program
Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts . Days after the announcement of an Iran-Israel ceasefire - and the US strikes on Iran that preceded it - the answer to one question remains unclear. How much was Iran's nuclear program set back by the damage from the US strikes? A leaked early assessment from US intelligence came to a different conclusion from that reached by US President Donald Trump and the White House. Instead of a setback of years, the leaked report said the timeframe was months. Rafael Grossi is the director general of the UN's nuclear monitoring group, the International Atomic Energy Agency - or I-A-E-A, which has been assessing Iran's compliance with the Non-Proliferation Treaty. He told C-B-S, his view aligns with that of the US Defense Intelligence Agency. "Describing this as a very serious level of damage. What happened in particular in Fordo, Natanz, Isfahan, where Iran used to have and still has, to some degree, capabilities in terms of treatment, conversion and enrichment of uranium have been destroyed to an important degree. Some is still standing. There is, of course, an important setback in terms of those of those capabilities. This is clear. And now the important issue - the important thing is - what are the next steps?" Earlier this month, [[on June 12]], the agency formally declared Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations. On the same day, Israel launched a military operation targeting Iran's nuclear sites, saying Iran must not be allowed the capacity to build a nuclear weapon. In the aftermath, Iran's Supreme National Security Council has banned inspectors from the I-A-E-A, saying it wants assurances the country's nuclear facilities will not be attacked again. Mr Grossi says it is important that the agency's inspectors continue to have access to monitor Iran's nuclear program. "The work will have to continue. Otherwise, nobody will have an idea of what is happening in Iran. Iran will continue with a nuclear program - the contours of which are still to be seen. And will be - I am sure - part of this negotiations which I hope will be resuming soon." After the leaked intelligence report, the US President spent the past week insisting the US strikes 'obliterated' Iran's three nuclear facilities, rendering long-term damage. Now, he is taking a new approach. He says his focus is finding out who leaked the intelligence report, which he called incomplete and biased. Mr Trump told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo, his administration may prosecute journalists who don't give up their sources on the leaked report. Maria Bartiromo: "The Democrats leaked intelligence - " Donald Trump: "They should be prosecuted." Maria Bartiromo: "Who specifically? Would you be able to find out..." Donald Trump: "We can find out. We could find out easily. You could tell the reporter: national security. Who gave it? You have to do that. And I will suspect that we will be doing things like that." The US and Israel have suggested that they would resume strikes on Iran, if Iran decides to rebuild its nuclear program. The I-A-E-A says it has assessed that Iran possesses significant nuclear capabilities, but it has not found concrete evidence of a systematic effort to build a nuclear weapon. The agency has found that - of the 30 countries capable of developing nuclear weapons, Israel is among nine that possess them [[along with Russia, the US, China, France, the UK, Pakistan, India, Israel and North Korea]]. Israel's government officially neither confirms nor denies the existence of its nuclear arsenal - but it is also among the countries that is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty [[along with North Korea, India, Pakistan and South Sudan]]. Iran maintains its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Amir-Saeid Iravani, told C-B-S, the country's nuclear enrichment will never stop. "To preserve our peaceful nuclear activity will remain always in a peaceful manner. So the enrichment is our right, an inalienable right, and we want to implement this right." He says there has been no timeline established for the resumption of diplomatic talks with the US. He says Iran is open to the idea, but it won't endorse the option of unconditional surrender. Meanwhile, Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesman says mediators are engaging with Israel and Hamas to build on momentum from the ceasefire with Iran - and work towards a truce in Gaza. President Trump says it is possible a deal could be reached within a week. "Often asked, and I think it's close. I just spoke with some of the people involved. And it's a terrible situation that's going… Gaza, he's asking about. And we think within the next week we're going to get a ceasefire. And we're supplying, as you know, a lot of money and a lot food to that area because we have to — I mean, you have to. We're, in theory, not involved in it, but we're involved because people are dying." In follow-up posts on social media, US President Donald Trump repeated calls for parties to "make the deal in Gaza" and "get the hostages back". An Israeli official says senior adviser Ron Dermer is set to travel to Washington this week for talks on a ceasefire, with plans for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to also visit in coming weeks. Mr Netanyahu says defeating Hamas and the release of the remaining hostages is a central focus. "Of course, we will also have to solve the Gaza issue, to defeat Hamas, and secure the release of the hostages. I believe we will achieve both tasks release of hostages, but beyond that, broad regional possibilities open up." Twenty hostages remain in captivity in Gaza, while Hamas is also holding the bodies of 30 who have died. Meanwhile, Israel has continued its deadly attacks in Gaza, issuing evacuation orders to those in the north of the enclave, covering the Jabalia area and most Gaza City districts. In Gaza City, Sariah Badrah says an end to the 20-month war can't come soon enough. "They want to destroy the square, so we fled, and our children are fleeing behind us. They are taking only a few things to get out of the house in the morning and at night, while the shells fall like rain. The F16s fire, the tanks fire and the drones attack. May God be with us." The Gaza war began when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing nearly 1,200 people, and taking 251 others hostage. Since then, Israel's military assault in Gaza has killed at least 56,500 Palestinians.
