US, China Strike TikTok Deal
THECONSCIENCE NG reports that President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the United States and China have reached an agreement regarding TikTok, the Chinese-owned social media platform that Washington insists must transition to U.S.-controlled ownership.
“We have a deal on TikTok. I’ve reached an agreement with China, and I’ll be speaking with President Xi on Friday to finalize everything,” Trump told reporters as he departed the White House for a state visit to the United Kingdom.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had indicated on Monday that both parties were “very close” to finalizing a deal, as trade talks resumed between the two countries in Madrid.
Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng began the latest round of negotiations in the Spanish capital on Sunday, aiming to resolve longstanding tensions over trade and technology that have strained U.S.-China relations.
TikTok, owned by the Beijing-based tech company ByteDance, has faced intense scrutiny in the U.S. over national security concerns.
A federal law mandating the sale or ban of TikTok on national security grounds was scheduled to take effect the day before Trump’s January 20 inauguration. However, Trump — whose 2024 campaign leaned heavily on social media and who has publicly expressed fondness for TikTok — placed the ban on hold.
In mid-June, he granted TikTok a 90-day extension to secure a U.S.-based buyer or face a nationwide ban. That deadline is set to expire on Wednesday.
Although Trump had initially supported a ban or forced divestment, he later reversed his stance and pledged to defend the platform — which has nearly two billion users worldwide — believing it played a key role in attracting support from younger voters during the November election.
