Trump says he and Xi “made progress” on TikTok deal, and he’ll go to China early next year
President Trump recently had a “very productive” conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping regarding the approval of a deal to resolve ownership of TikTok. While Trump mentioned that progress has been made, he also stated that the deal has not been fully negotiated yet. The call was aimed at finalizing an agreement over the popular social media platform, with Trump even agreeing to visit China in the early part of next year.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that U.S. and Chinese negotiators have reached a framework for an agreement on TikTok’s ownership. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs also stated that Beijing will support their teams in reaching a proper deal on TikTok through consultation.
Despite a federal law requiring TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance to divest from TikTok or face a ban in the U.S., Trump has allowed TikTok to operate in the country. The Supreme Court upheld this law in a 9-0 decision in June, but Trump has delayed enforcement through executive actions.
The relationship between Trump and Xi has had its ups and downs, with Trump expressing respect for Xi while also criticizing China’s trade practices. Xi’s recent display of unity with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a military parade raised some eyebrows.
Overall, the conversation between Trump and Xi regarding TikTok shows progress towards resolving the ownership issue. Both leaders have expressed a willingness to work towards a proper deal, which could have significant implications for the future of the popular social media platform.
This article was contributed by Melissa Quinn and Caitlin Yilek, with additional reporting by Kathryn Watson, a politics reporter for CBS News Digital based in Washington, D.C.
