Trump and Xi Hold Talks on Future of TikTok in the US
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping reached an understanding on the future of TikTok’s US operations during a phone call, though Beijing has not confirmed the agreement.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump described the call as “productive” and said he “appreciated” Xi’s approval of a deal that would transfer TikTok’s US business to a consortium of American investors. China’s state-run news agency Xinhua, however, offered a more cautious tone, quoting Xi as saying that Beijing “welcomes negotiations over TikTok” but leaving the outcome ambiguous.
TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, has been under pressure for months to sell its US arm or risk a nationwide ban. Although Trump initially set a January deadline, he has extended it four times, most recently pushing it back to December.
Speaking to reporters, Trump confirmed that the deal still needs to be finalized. “We look forward to getting that deal closed,” he said, stressing that the US would maintain “very tight control” of the platform. The proposed deal reportedly involves major US companies, including Oracle — co-founded by Trump ally Larry Ellison — acquiring TikTok’s American operations while licensing the app’s recommendation algorithm from ByteDance.
Control of that algorithm, which powers content for TikTok’s 170 million US users, remains a key sticking point. Asked whether an American buyer would need to build a new system or continue using ByteDance’s technology, Trump declined to give specifics.
ByteDance responded with a statement that added uncertainty, saying the company would act “in accordance with applicable laws to ensure TikTok remains available to American users through TikTok US.” The firm also thanked both presidents for their “efforts to preserve TikTok in the United States.”
Not everyone in Washington is comfortable with the arrangement. Lawmakers, including some Republicans, have warned that any deal reliant on ByteDance’s algorithm could still allow Chinese Communist Party influence. Michigan Republican John Moolenaar, chair of the House Select Committee on the CCP, said he remained “concerned” about the arrangement.
Trump’s position has shifted notably since his first term, when he pushed to ban TikTok outright. Now, he has described the app as a valuable asset — and a crucial tool for his 2024 campaign. “The people investing are among the greatest investors in the world,” he said. “They’ll do a great job — and we’re doing it in conjunction with China.”
The US Supreme Court upheld legislation earlier this year requiring ByteDance to divest from TikTok’s US operations, briefly rendering the app inaccessible before the government delayed enforcement. The Justice Department has repeatedly warned that TikTok poses a national security risk due to its potential access to vast amounts of American user data.
Friday’s call was the second between Trump and Xi in 2025. In June, the leaders discussed China’s export of rare earth minerals, resulting in Beijing agreeing to issue a limited number of permits for US companies. Broader trade disputes — from tech export restrictions to Chinese agricultural purchases — remain unresolved, despite four rounds of negotiations in recent months.
Both leaders are expected to meet in person at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea in late October. Trump said he also plans to travel to China early next year, while Xi will visit the US “at an appropriate time.”
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