President Donald Trump suggested that a deal has been reached with China to allow TikTok to continue operating in the United States: a conclusion, he said, to a years-long effort that began during his first term.
“The big trade meeting in Europe between the United States of America and China has gone VERY WELL! It will be concluding shortly,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “A deal was also reached on a ‘certain’ company that young people in our country very much wanted to save. They will be very happy! I will be speaking to President Xi on Friday.”
As CNN reports, US and Chinese diplomats have been holding talks this week in Madrid, where Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent led the American side. Ahead of the meetings, Bessent acknowledged that TikTok was among the issues likely to be raised.
Years of uncertainty
Trump has repeatedly extended a self-imposed deadline to secure a deal requiring TikTok’s China-based parent company, ByteDance, to divest its US operations to American-backed owners. Pressure for a sale stems from bipartisan national security concerns in Washington, with lawmakers warning about Beijing’s access to US user data.
In 2023, Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, signed into law a bipartisan bill banning TikTok in the United States unless its Chinese ownership stake in the US business was sold. That law gave TikTok’s parent company a limited window to restructure its holdings or face a nationwide ban.
The deadline for a resolution had most recently been extended to September 17. Trump’s remarks suggest an agreement is in place, though neither Washington nor Beijing has provided details of what form such a deal might take.
What’s next?
If confirmed, the development would mark a significant shift in one of the thorniest disputes in US-China relations, combining digital security concerns with wider trade negotiations. Trump said he will speak directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday, potentially offering more clarity on what could be a make-or-break moment for TikTok’s future in America.