U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to restart negotiations with China next week regarding a long-awaited deal over the ownership of TikTok’s U.S. operations. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday, Trump said the United States would likely begin discussions on Monday or Tuesday, possibly involving Chinese President Xi Jinping or one of his representatives.

“I think we’re going to start Monday or Tuesday… talking to China, perhaps President Xi or one of his representatives, but we pretty much have a deal,” Trump said, signaling cautious optimism that the matter could be resolved after months of uncertainty.

The renewed talks could mark a turning point in a saga that began in 2020, when U.S. authorities first raised national security concerns about TikTok, a video-sharing app owned by Beijing-based tech company ByteDance. The Trump administration at the time alleged that TikTok posed a threat to American users’ data and could be used by the Chinese government to engage in surveillance or influence operations.

How the TikTok Controversy Began

The TikTok sale controversy dates back to August 2020, when President Trump issued an executive order directing ByteDance to divest from TikTok’s U.S. operations within 90 days or face a potential ban. The administration cited concerns that TikTok collected vast amounts of user data that could be accessed by the Chinese government under China’s national intelligence law, which requires companies to assist the state when requested.

Amid growing bipartisan pressure in Washington, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) began investigating TikTok’s acquisition of U.S.-based social app Musical.ly in 2017, which was seen as the foundation for TikTok’s rapid rise in the U.S. market. By 2020, TikTok had become one of the most downloaded apps in the world, especially popular among American teens and young adults.

The Trump administration’s pressure triggered negotiations for a sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations. A deal appeared to be in the works involving U.S. tech firms Oracle and Walmart, which proposed forming a new company—TikTok Global—based in the United States, with U.S. investors holding a majority stake. ByteDance would retain a minority share, and Oracle would manage TikTok’s American data.

However, those plans stalled in early 2021 as the Biden administration took office and launched its own review of the security risks associated with Chinese-owned apps. While the urgency to finalize a sale diminished, the broader debate over TikTok’s ownership and data practices remained a contentious issue.

Rising Tensions and Stalled Progress

In recent months, talks of a potential TikTok sale resurfaced after renewed concerns in Washington over the platform’s influence and data privacy practices. Lawmakers in both parties have continued to push for legislation that would either ban TikTok outright or force ByteDance to sell the app to a U.S.-based company.

Earlier this year, Trump extended the deadline for ByteDance to complete a divestment deal to September 17, 2025, in what many viewed as a final window to resolve the matter. Yet progress has remained slow, particularly after China pushed back on what it perceived as heavy-handed U.S. demands and retaliated with tighter export controls on technologies such as recommendation algorithms—one of TikTok’s core assets.

Trump acknowledged that any final agreement would likely need the Chinese government’s approval, telling reporters, “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.”

The initial proposal to spin off TikTok’s U.S. business was also shelved in part due to Beijing’s growing resistance, especially following Trump’s earlier imposition of steep tariffs on Chinese goods. Chinese authorities made it clear that they would not approve any deal that required the transfer of key technology or that appeared to be forced under political pressure.

A Potential Turning Point

Now, as diplomatic engagement between Washington and Beijing continues, Trump’s renewed push for a TikTok agreement suggests both sides may be open to a compromise. The talks are expected to cover not only ownership structure and data security but also regulatory transparency and safeguards to ensure TikTok’s operations comply with U.S. laws.

TikTok currently has more than 150 million users in the United States and plays a major role in content creation, marketing, and digital culture. The outcome of the deal could set a precedent for how other Chinese tech companies operate in the West amid growing scrutiny.

Whether or not the renewed talks yield a final agreement, the TikTok issue remains at the center of a broader geopolitical struggle between the U.S. and China—one that spans not only trade, but also digital sovereignty and the future of global internet governance.

With just over two months until the new deadline, the coming weeks will be critical in determining whether TikTok’s future in the United States will be shaped by cooperation, confrontation, or compromise.