Trump signals TikTok deal as US operations hinge on agreement
President Donald Trump has suggested that the United States and China have reached a deal on the future of TikTok, the viral video platform owned by Chinese firm ByteDance.
Trump said on his own social media platform, Truth Social, that trade talks in Spain “went very well”, and that a deal was reached regarding “a certain company that young people in our country very much wanted to save”, widely interpreted as TikTok.
TikTok’s future still uncertain
The President added that he will speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week, while officials in Beijing have yet to confirm the comments.
The discussions follow years of US pressure on ByteDance to divest in TikTok or face a nationwide ban on national security concerns.
TikTok has repeatedly avoided shutdown, with Trump extending deadlines multiple times since June.
A previous attempt to sell a majority stake to US investors, including General Atlantic and Blackstone, collapsed after Beijing rescinded approval amid new US tariffs.
The company continues to operate and expand in the US, launching new AI video tools and pursuing advertising partnerships, signalling confidence in its future.
TikTok also recently announced plans to grow its UK workforce to 3,000 employees and open a second London office by 2025.
Analysts have noted that while a deal may calm immediate investor and regulatory concerns, broader US-China trade tensions and unresolved security questions mean the app’s status remains uncertain.
TikTok, launched internationally in 2017 after merging with Musical.ly, has become one of the first Chinese platforms to gain major traction in the West, particularly among younger audiences.
Its popularity during the pandemic, alongside new social media rivals, has cemented its position as a major player in online video.