LONDON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said the United States was close to a deal with China to transfer ownership of social media platform TikTok to U.S. companies, but might extend a deadline for the divestiture of Chinese ownership.

"We're pretty close to a deal. We may do an extension with China but it's an extension based on the same terms that we have right now, which are pretty good terms," Trump said during a news conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Trump said he would discuss TikTok with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday. He signed an executive order on Tuesday delaying enforcement of a 2024 law requiring divestiture of Chinese ownership of TikTok until December 16.

(Reporting by Steve Holland in London, writing by Andrea Shalal)