President Trump announced a TikTok breakthrough, stating that the US has “pretty much” reached an agreement and that talks with China are expected to begin early next week. This signals a potential resolution for the popular app’s ownership.
The possibility of President Xi Jinping or his representatives joining the talks underscores the high-level focus on the issue. This comes after Trump’s third extension of the deadline for ByteDance to divest TikTok’s US assets, now set for September 17.
Previous efforts to spin off TikTok’s US operations into a US-controlled entity were reportedly halted by China’s reaction to new US tariffs. This history reveals the delicate balance of economic and political leverage in the ongoing discussions.
Despite a “great relationship” with President Xi, Trump acknowledged that China’s approval is not guaranteed, expressing a degree of uncertainty. This dynamic has fueled criticism from Democratic Senator Mark Warner, who argues that the executive orders are an attempt to bypass legal requirements.