Trump to Begin TikTok Deal Talks With China Amid Trade Tensions

Former United States President Donald Trump announced late Friday that discussions with China regarding a potential deal over TikTok could begin within days. “We pretty much have a deal,” Trump said, adding that talks may start Monday or Tuesday, possibly with Chinese President Xi Jinping or his representatives.

The news comes as TikTok, owned by China-based ByteDance, remains at the center of a long-running tug-of-war between Washington and Beijing. While Trump has expressed support for keeping TikTok available in the U.S., he has emphasized the need for its parent company to sell its American operations to comply with national security concerns and U.S. law.

Trump’s position reflects a complicated shift from his earlier skepticism of the app, which he once viewed as a data-collection tool for the Chinese government. However, his stance changed after major U.S.-owned social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, banned him in the aftermath of the January 6 Capitol riot. Since returning to the White House, Trump has softened his position, focusing more on securing a deal that works for both the United States and China.

Congress previously passed legislation demanding that TikTok be banned if ByteDance failed to divest. The bill passed with wide bipartisan support, and then-President Joe Biden signed it into law. However, Trump paused the law’s implementation on his first day back in office, giving ByteDance an initial 75-day extension, one of several he has granted so far. The current deadline is set for September 17.

According to sources, Trump’s team has already found a potential buyer, but the real issue lies with China’s willingness to sell. Beijing has been using TikTok as a bargaining chip in ongoing trade negotiations, aiming to extract favorable terms from Washington.

In April, a group of American investors and tech leaders was prepared to make an offer for TikTok’s U.S. assets. However, the effort stalled when Trump imposed sweeping 34% tariffs on Chinese imports as part of a renewed trade offensive. Since then, tariffs have been reduced slightly, and both sides are reengaging in broader talks.

When asked about the chances of China approving the deal, Trump said, “I’m not confident, but I think so. President Xi and I have a great relationship… I think the deal is good for China, and it’s good for us.”

As the deadline approaches, all eyes are on whether these upcoming discussions will lead to a final resolution over TikTok and how the outcome could reshape both digital policy and U.S.-China trade dynamics.