Kristina Roberts
U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will soon begin discussions with China to move forward with a possible deal involving the popular video-sharing app, TikTok. According to Trump, these talks may begin as early as Monday or Tuesday. He made this statement while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, expressing hope that the negotiations would lead to a favorable outcome. “I think we’re gonna start Monday or Tuesday… talking to China, perhaps President Xi or one of his representatives, but we would we pretty much have a deal,” Trump said, sounding hopeful but also cautious about the results.
TikTok is an app that allows users to create and share short videos, and it has become especially popular among young people in the U.S. However, because TikTok is owned by a Chinese company called ByteDance, some American leaders have been concerned that the app could be used to collect data from U.S. users and send it back to China. These worries have grown stronger in recent years as tensions between the U.S. and China have increased over trade, technology, and national security issues. As a result, American officials have been working on a way to either sell TikTok’s U.S. operations to an American company or make sure that TikTok operates more independently from its Chinese parent company.
In June, Trump extended a deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations to American investors. The new deadline is September 17, which gives both sides more time to reach a deal. Earlier this year, a deal was being prepared where TikTok’s U.S. operations would be spun off into a new company that would be owned and operated mainly by American investors. This move was seen as a way to reduce any risk to U.S. national security. However, progress on that deal was stopped when the Chinese government showed signs that it would not allow the deal to go forward. This came after Trump made some strong decisions on trade, such as increasing tariffs on Chinese goods, which may have upset Chinese leaders.
Even with the delay, Trump still believes that a deal could be made. He said that the U.S. would “probably” need China’s approval to finalize any agreement. When reporters asked him how sure he was that China would accept the deal, he answered, “I’m not confident, but I think so. President Xi and I have a great relationship, and I think it’s good for them. I think the deal is good for China and it’s good for us.” This shows that Trump is hopeful that the strong working relationship between him and China’s President Xi Jinping might help in moving the deal forward.
The situation with TikTok is just one part of a bigger story about how the United States and China are competing in many areas. Both countries are trying to become leaders in technology, and both have accused each other of unfair behavior. In the U.S., there have been several efforts to limit Chinese technology companies from doing business freely. TikTok has been caught in the middle of these issues. While many people in America use TikTok just for fun, some government leaders believe it could be used to spy on users or influence public opinion.
Because of this, Trump and his administration have pushed for big changes in how TikTok operates in the U.S. The goal is to make sure that any American user’s information is kept safe and that the company is not under the control of China. Some experts believe that if a deal is made and TikTok becomes a separate American-run company, it could help reduce the tension between the two countries—at least when it comes to technology and security.
At the same time, this situation has put TikTok in a difficult position. The company wants to keep its large audience in the U.S., but it also must follow the rules and decisions made by both American and Chinese leaders. If China decides not to approve the deal, TikTok could lose a lot of business in the U.S. But if the deal goes through, the app might have to change how it works or even change who runs it. For users, it may not feel like anything is different, but behind the scenes, a lot would be changing.
This story also shows how hard it can be for companies to work across countries when politics and global tensions get involved. A simple app that started as a place for dancing videos and funny clips has now become a serious topic of discussion for world leaders. What happens in the next few weeks will be very important for TikTok, its users, and the future of how the U.S. and China handle business and technology together.
It is also a reminder that in today’s world, apps and social media are not just tools for entertainment—they are also tools that can affect politics, safety, and how countries talk to each other. As the U.S. and China continue their talks, everyone will be watching to see whether this deal brings both sides closer or leads to even more disagreement.
With the deadline set for September 17, there is still some time for things to change. Negotiations can be complicated, and both sides will likely want to make sure they are getting something valuable out of the deal. But Trump’s comments suggest that there is at least a chance of reaching an agreement. Whether it is through direct talks with President Xi or with his team, the coming days will be full of careful conversations and important decisions.
For now, TikTok’s future in the U.S. remains uncertain. But one thing is clear—leaders in both the United States and China know how important this deal is, not just for the companies involved, but for how the two countries continue to do business together in a fast-changing world.
