Trump Flags TikTok Deal After US-China Talks

by · channelnews

Donald Trump has signalled that Washington and Beijing have reached a breakthrough on the future of TikTok’s US operations.

While nothing has quite been officially announced, Trump has hinted that the long-running standoff over the Chinese-owned social media app is close to being resolved.

Posting on Truth Social on Monday, shortly before the close of two days of US-China trade talks in Madrid, the US President wrote that negotiations had “gone very well”.

He also shared that “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.”

Trump is scheduled to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday, September 19, to confirm the framework.

It looks like the long-running TikTok-ownership dispute is close to being resolved

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who led the American delegation, told reporters that a “framework” agreement on TikTok had been struck, with the app set to come under “US-controlled ownership”.

He declined to give specifics ahead of Trump’s call with Xi, stressing only that “we have a framework” and that his Chinese counterparts now “have to confirm the deal”.

The White House has repeatedly extended the congressionally mandated deadline for TikTok’s parent, ByteDance, to divest its US business or face a nationwide ban.

After several extensions since January, the current deadline is Wednesday, September 17.

Bessent suggested one final extension may be needed to finalise the deal, but ruled out further rolling delays.

A resolution on TikTok would remove one of the most politically charged obstacles in US-China relations.

The app, which has about 170 million American users, has been under scrutiny from US lawmakers who argue it poses national security risks due to its Chinese ownership.

Beijing has pushed back, accusing Washington of politicising technology competition.

If confirmed by Trump and Xi later this week, the TikTok deal would mark a rare moment of cooperation in a relationship that’s become increasingly strained by trade disputes and technology controls.