This week, Donald Trump announced plans to initiate talks with China regarding a potential TikTok agreement. The discussions are set to take place either Monday or Tuesday.
According to the United States president, the US has essentially reached an agreement on the sale of the short-video app TikTok.
Trump stated, “The discussions with China may involve President Xi or a member of his team, but we have largely finalized an agreement,” to journalists aboard Air Force One on Friday.
Additionally, Trump mentioned the possibility of him visiting China personally or receiving a visit from President Xi Jinping in the US.
The topic of mutual visits between the leaders was previously brought up last month.
Previously, Trump signed an order delaying the US ban on TikTok for the third time until September 17. This gave ByteDance, the China-based company behind TikTok, extra time to sell its US assets. TikTok has 170 million users in the US.
Efforts to separate TikTok’s US operations into a new US-based company, primarily owned and run by American investors, stalled when China expressed disapproval due to Trump’s statements on imposing heavy tariffs on Chinese goods.
Trump indicated that the US would need China’s approval for any deal to go forward.
When asked about the confidence level that Beijing would agree to the deal, he responded, “I’m not confident, but I believe so. President Xi and I have a good relationship, and I believe a deal would be beneficial for both China and the US.”
Trump’s most recent extension in June was his third time using an executive order to delay the ban or the sale of TikTok. This provided ByteDance with another 90-day window to find a buyer or face a ban in the US.
Trump’s first order providing a reprieve for TikTok came right after he took office, just three days following the supreme court’s decision to uphold a ban on TikTok. He issued a second executive order in April, setting the previous deadline for the sale or ban as June 19. Now the deadline is September.
In a statement released the same day, TikTok expressed gratitude towards Trump and JD Vance, stating, “We are appreciative of President Trump’s leadership and will continue to work with Vice President Vance’s Office towards a resolution.”
Democratic Senator Mark Warner, vice-chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, accused Trump of circumventing the law through his use of an executive order.
With reporting by Dara Kerr
