WASHINGTON/MADRID: US President Donald Trump has suggested that a deal has been reached with China to allow TikTok to continue operating in the United States, after months of uncertainty over the popular video-sharing app’s future.
In a post on Truth Social on Monday, Trump said that talks between US and Chinese officials had gone “very well” and that an agreement had been reached regarding “a ‘certain’ company that young people in our Country very much wanted to save.”
He added that younger Americans “will be very happy” and said he planned to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday.
Trump did not name TikTok directly, but US officials and media reports suggested the comment referred to the app, owned by China’s ByteDance. Under US law, TikTok must be sold to an American-backed owner or face a nationwide ban.
The remarks came as delegations from both countries met in Madrid for the fourth round of trade talks in four months. The discussions, led by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, covered tariffs, technology restrictions and the future of TikTok, Reuters news agency reported.
Speaking to reporters in Madrid, Bessent said progress had been made but cautioned that the US would not compromise national security. “Our Chinese counterparts have come with a very aggressive ask,” he said. “We are not willing to sacrifice national security for a social media app.”
A senior US official, cited by Reuters, said Washington would proceed with a TikTok ban unless Beijing dropped demands for tariff reductions and eased restrictions on technology. TikTok faces a 17 September deadline to move into US ownership.
Chinese officials pushed back, accusing Washington of coercion. “This is a typical act of unilateral bullying and economic coercion, a serious violation of the consensus reached by the Chinese and US heads of state in their phone call,” a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce told reporters in Beijing on Monday.
China’s Foreign Ministry added that it had “no new information to give” on TikTok, reiterating its longstanding position that forced divestments could set a dangerous precedent for Chinese firms abroad.
Analysts say the issue has become entwined with broader trade disputes, including tariffs and restrictions on semiconductor exports.
Alicia García-Herrero, a senior fellow at European think tank Bruegel, cited by Reuters, said that Beijing was reluctant to divest from TikTok as it “would open the door for more forced sales of Chinese companies in the West.”
The talks in Madrid are also overshadowed by a US Supreme Court case that could overturn tariffs imposed by Trump earlier this year, potentially weakening Washington’s leverage. A ruling is expected in early 2026.
