A deal has been reached between the U.S. and China to keep TikTok operational in the U.S., according to President Trump. He shared this news with reporters before leaving for a state visit to the UK, saying, “We have a deal on TikTok.” Trump plans to speak with President Xi to confirm the details.
TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, faced pressure to sell its U.S. operations or risk being banned. Although Trump initially pushed for a ban in January, he has since delayed it multiple times. The deadline has now been extended to December 16.
Under the new agreement, a consortium of American investors—including Oracle and Silver Lake—will control TikTok’s U.S. operations. A separate app is also in development for U.S. users, using TikTok’s popular content-recommending algorithms.
This negotiation aligns with recent developments in U.S.-China trade relations. A U.S. trade delegation announced a “framework” deal with China amid ongoing discussions in Madrid. Chinese officials indicated that any agreement would protect their firms’ interests while potentially allowing for licensed technology transfers.
After initially promoting a TikTok ban, Trump has changed his position. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a law in January that mandates ByteDance sell its U.S. business, citing national security concerns. Lawmakers worry about data privacy, given TikTok’s access to American user data. Despite these concerns, ByteDance argues its U.S. operations are independent and do not share data with the Chinese government.
User reactions on social media suggest mixed feelings about the deal. While some welcome the compromise, others express skepticism about data safety. TikTok briefly shut down in January, but this was quickly reversed when the ban was delayed again.
Experts suggest that the negotiations reflect increasing tensions over technology and data security between China and the U.S. For more on the implications of international tech deals, check out this report on U.S.-China tech relations.
In a world where technology governs much of our social interactions, the TikTok situation is a telling example of broader geopolitical currents. Users will need to watch carefully how these changes unfold in the coming weeks.
