Delay to TikTok ban gets Trump sign-off

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, he said: "I tell you what. Every rich person has called me about TikTok."

When asked by a reporter why he's had a change of heart since trying to ban TikTok in 2020, Trump responded: "Because I got to use it."

He floated the possibility of a joint venture running the company, saying he was seeking a 50-50 partnership between "the United States" and its Chinese owner ByteDance. But he did not give any further details on how that might work.

Trump also said he may impose new trade tariffs on China if a deal for the platform is not struck.

If Beijing rejected a deal "it would be somewhat of a hostile act", he said.

Chinese officials have previously rejected calls for a sale, describing US arguments last March as "sheer robbers' logic".

However, on Tuesday the spokesperson for the foreign ministry appeared to soften that stance.

"When it comes to actions such as the operation and acquisition of businesses, we believe they should be independently decided by companies," Guo Jiakun said.

"If it involves Chinese companies, China's laws and regulations should be observed," he added.