TikTok is at a turning point, with President Trump announcing that discussions with China on a “pretty much” reached consensus deal will begin on Monday or Tuesday. This indicates that a resolution for the app’s US operations is imminent.
The possibility of reciprocal visits between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping underscores the diplomatic weight of the situation. The September 17 deadline for ByteDance to divest TikTok’s US assets is the latest in a series of extensions by the Trump administration.
A previous attempt to spin off TikTok’s US operations to US investors was reportedly put on hold due to China’s objections, which came after Trump’s tariff announcements. This highlights the complex dynamics between trade and technology.
While maintaining a “great relationship” with President Xi, Trump expressed a degree of uncertainty about China’s final approval. This situation has drawn criticism from Democratic Senator Mark Warner, who argues that the executive orders are an attempt to bypass existing laws.