Vice President JD Vance expressed confidence Friday that a deal to keep TikTok alive in the U.S. will be sealed by early April, navigating a high-stakes saga pitting national security against the app’s massive popularity. “There will almost certainly be a high-level agreement that satisfies our concerns and creates a distinct American TikTok enterprise,” Vance told NBC News aboard Air Force Two.
The clock started ticking January 19, when a bipartisan law demanded TikTok’s China-based parent, ByteDance, divest or face a U.S. ban. President Donald Trump, upon taking office, granted a 75-day reprieve, pushing the deadline to April 5. Tasked by Trump alongside National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, Vance is steering talks with “four different groups,” as Trump revealed Sunday from Air Force One, hinting a breakthrough could be imminent.
ByteDance and TikTok remain mum on the negotiations, a silence that contrasts with their failed Supreme Court challenge in January against the divestment law—originally signed by then-President Joe Biden. Last year, ByteDance insisted it wouldn’t sell, leaving its current stance unclear.
Vance sees the framework coming together but flagged a potential snag: “We’d like to avoid an extension, but finalizing thousands of pages of legal documents—for investors, customers, service providers—could slip past April 5.” Trump has floated a 50% U.S. stake in a joint venture and signaled flexibility on the timeline, though details remain sparse.
As talks heat up, online buzz reflects a split—users cheer TikTok’s possible survival, while security hawks warn of lingering risks. With global allies watching, the deal could reshape tech’s geopolitical fault lines.