With a TikTok deal “pretty much” reached, President Trump announced that he will commence discussions with China on Monday or Tuesday to finalize the terms. This suggests a significant step towards resolving the app’s ownership in the US.
The president also mentioned the potential for reciprocal visits with Chinese President Xi Jinping, underlining the high-level attention the issue commands. The September 17 deadline for ByteDance to divest TikTok’s US assets is the result of Trump’s third extension.
A previous deal to spin off TikTok’s US operations into a US-majority-owned firm reportedly faced opposition from China, a reaction linked to Trump’s tariff announcements. This highlights the complex interplay of economic and political factors.
While expressing a positive relationship with President Xi and believing the deal is mutually beneficial, Trump admitted some uncertainty regarding China’s final approval. This ongoing situation has drawn criticism from Senator Mark Warner, who argues that executive orders are being used to bypass the law.
