TikTok to Remain in the US After Deal Is Reached

The Trump administration has announced that a deal has been reached to keep TikTok operational in the United States. This agreement follows a years-long effort to address national security concerns related to the app‘s Chinese parent company, ByteDance. The framework for the deal was reached during recent trade talks in Madrid between U.S. and Chinese officials. According to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the final details are set to be ironed out. President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping will speak about it on Friday.

Trump administration and China reach a deal to save TikTok in the US

This breakthrough comes after a series of deadlines and extensions. A bipartisan law passed under the previous administration had required ByteDance to sell its U.S. assets or face a ban. President Trump repeatedly extended these deadlines since his second term began. The U.S. government’s main concern has been the potential for the Chinese government to access the data of TikTok’s approximately 170 million U.S. users.

As reported by CNN, specific commercial terms of the deal have not been made public. However, officials have stated that the agreement respects U.S. national security concerns while being fair to the Chinese side.

The deal is widely expected to involve a U.S.-led ownership group. According to reports, Oracle executive chairman Larry Ellison is the most likely candidate. Ellison’s company has a pre-existing relationship with TikTok. After all, they have been providing the hosting tech for the app’s U.S. user data since 2020. This prior arrangement, which was a part of a previous, stalled deal, is seen as a way to address data security concerns.

A relief for ByteDance and TikTok users

For many, the resolution of the TikTok saga is a welcome relief. The app has become a major part of the U.S. social and media landscape, especially for young people. It was even a factor in President Trump’s 2024 election campaign.

The fate of the app has been uncertain for some time. However, the agreement appears to be a major step toward ensuring its continued operation in the U.S.

The deal also signals a positive turn in trade relations between the U.S. and China. This could potentially pave the way for a long-awaited meeting between Trump and Xi. While the negotiations in Madrid are concluding, the two sides are expected to hold a fifth round of trade talks in about a month’s time.

In any case, everything indicates that we’ll have more details on this in the coming hours or days. Stay tuned with us so you don’t miss any new developments.