Trump and Xi Reach Tentative Agreement on TikTok's Future in the U.S.

Thu Oct 16 2025 11:27:32 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In a significant phone call, U.S. President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping have reportedly approved a deal regarding TikTok's operations in the United States, though details remain unclear.

During a recent phone conversation, President Trump announced that he and President Xi discussed and seemingly agreed on a framework for TikTok's future in the U.S., including a potential sale to U.S. investors. While Trump described the call as 'productive' and mentioned planned meetings at the upcoming APEC summit, clarity on the terms of the deal is still lacking, particularly concerning ownership of TikTok's algorithm and ongoing U.S. regulatory concerns over national security.

US President Donald Trump has reported that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping reached an understanding regarding TikTok's operations in the United States during a recent phone call. While Trump described the conversation as 'productive' and claimed Xi approved a deal for TikTok's U.S. business to be sold to American investors, Beijing’s official state news agency Xinhua conveyed a less definitive outcome, focusing on negotiations.

The issues surrounding TikTok stem from national security concerns, prompting earlier calls for its ban unless it divested from its American operations. However, Trump has postponed any bans multiple times, now extending the deadline to December.

In light of this, the two leaders agreed to meet at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea, where discussions regarding trade and other issues would continue. Trump expressed confidence that a deal could soon be finalized, asserting that the U.S. would maintain strict control over TikTok operations, intending to utilize algorithm technology licensed from TikTok's parent company, ByteDance.

The future of TikTok hinges on the contentious issue of who retains control over its algorithm, essential for managing content for its substantial user base in the U.S. Beyond TikTok, other economic disagreements between the two nations continue to require resolution.