Trump declares that the Chinese leader consented to a TikTok arrangement

, and ASMedia

2025 September 29 . 4:05 AM

2 min read

Trump announces agreement by Chinese leader on TikTok deal

Trump declares that the Chinese leader consented to a TikTok arrangement

In a significant turn of events, the future of TikTok in the United States appears to be taking shape, with President Donald Trump announcing a potential deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The deal, as reported, involves transferring control of TikTok's US business to American ownership, ensuring that neither the Chinese government nor ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, will control the recommendation algorithm.

The algorithm, a key component of TikTok's operation, will be controlled from America, allowing TikTok to continue operating in the US under this arrangement. Oracle, backed by Trump supporter Larry Ellison, will continue as TikTok's technical service provider in the US.

However, the details of the deal are still under discussion, according to Trump's statement. TikTok is expected to be taken over by American investors, as per Trump's announcement. The Wall Street Journal reported that the US government would receive several billion dollars from investors as part of the transaction.

The US law requires neither the Chinese government nor ByteDance to have control over the TikTok algorithm. This stipulation aims to prevent Chinese influence over the app, a concern that has been a focus of the ongoing debate.

TikTok will reportedly continue to use the algorithm developed in China to determine US video recommendations, despite concerns from US critics about potential government influence. TikTok and ByteDance have denied allegations that their algorithm poses a risk for US government influence over public opinion.

The debate over TikTok's future in the US has sparked a broader conversation about freedom of the press and speech. The dispute was triggered by a dispute over the discussion of the death of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot last week in the state of Utah. Kirk's extremely conservative views have been criticized as racist and sexist.

The temporary suspension of the late-night show hosted by US comedian Jimmy Kimmel due to his comments about the Kirk case further fueled the debate. The Trump administration has also announced it would take action against commentators they believe are not expressing themselves appropriately.

Despite these developments, the app's future in the US remains uncertain. ByteDance is headquartered in Beijing, and the company is subject to many Chinese regulations. TikTok would have had to be sold or shut down in the US by January 19, 2025, as per a US law passed last year.

As the negotiations continue, the fate of TikTok in the US hangs in the balance, with both sides working towards a resolution that maintains the app's popular appeal while addressing concerns about national security and freedom of speech.