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Trump, China Reach Deal to Keep TikTok in US
US President Donald Trump has announced an agreement with China that will allow TikTok to continue operating in the country, easing months of uncertainty over the app’s future.
Trump told reporters on Tuesday that a “group of very big companies” is set to buy into the video-sharing platform, with Chinese ownership expected to fall below 20 percent under the arrangement. He added that he would speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday to confirm details of the deal.
The president later signed an executive order extending a deadline until December 16 for TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to divest its holdings or face a ban.
Trump, who credited TikTok with helping him connect with younger voters in last year’s election, said parents and children had urged him to keep the app alive. “I hate to see value like that thrown out the window,” he said.
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China’s state-owned People’s Daily welcomed the deal, calling it a sign of “cooperation for mutual benefit.” Analysts, however, questioned what concessions Beijing might seek in return.
TikTok, which has more than 170 million US users, has been under scrutiny from Washington over fears it could be used by China to influence Americans or harvest data. Lawmakers from both parties supported legislation last year demanding ByteDance give up control.
Trump had previously tried to ban the app in his first term but later shifted to backing a deal that would allow it to remain in the US market. Critics argue the decision reflects both his political and business interests, while raising questions about future content moderation and influence.
Despite the debate, legal experts say the deal has effectively preserved access to TikTok in the US, though concerns about transparency, privacy, and political pressure on the platform remain unresolved.
