Having told reporters that he has conversed with top executives at Oracle, Walmart and Microsoft regarding the possible purchase of video-sharing app TikTok, US President Donald Trump also explained what has to be done in order for that social media app to operate in the United States, The Hill reports.
According to the media outlet, Trump explained in order for that to happen, the security concerns about TikTok's alleged ties with China need to be addressed first.
"We have some great options and maybe we can keep a lot of people happy but have the security that we need. We have to have the total security from China," the POTUS said.
This development comes as the White House announced it will ban WeChat and TikTok from US app stores "starting Sunday", as the media outlet points out, adding that while the Commerce Department’s restrictions "bar companies from providing internet hosting, content delivery networks or peering services for WeChat or use any of the app's code, functions or services" within the United States, these restrictions will not apply to TikTok until 12 November, thus giving it time to "reach a deal".
"Today’s actions prove once again that President Trump will do everything in his power to guarantee our national security and protect Americans from the threats of the Chinese Communist Party", Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross declared.
Having accused TikTok of having poor data security that would allegedly enable the Chinese government to steal information from US users of the app, Trump threatened to ban the social media service in the United States if it does not sell itself to a US entity.
TikTok's owner ByteDance, however, says it has taken extraordinary measures to protect the privacy and security of its US users and has filed a suit against the Trump administration, while the Chinese Foreign Ministry urged the US to respect the rules of its economy regarding the TikTok deal.