Report: Framework for TikTok Deal Reached

U.S. and Chinese negotiators Monday announced a "framework" agreement on the future of TikTok in the United States following two days of high-level trade talks in Madrid, Spain. 

This development comes just days before a looming deadline on September 17, 2025, when TikTok—owned by the Chinese company ByteDance—faced a potential nationwide ban under a U.S. federal law citing national security risks. 

The law, enacted in 2024 and signed by then-President Joe Biden, required ByteDance to divest its U.S. operations or face prohibition, with President Donald Trump having extended the deadline multiple times during his second term to facilitate negotiations. The framework is seen as a breakthrough in the yearslong saga, which began under Trump's first administration with attempts to ban the app over data privacy and espionage concerns.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the deal aims to transition TikTok's U.S. operations to American-controlled ownership while addressing both nations' priorities: U.S. national security and China's interest in preserving certain "Chinese characteristics" of the app, such as cultural elements viewed as soft power. 

However, details remain sparse, with commercial terms described as a private matter between ByteDance and potential U.S. buyers. The agreement does not fully resolve the issue yet; it sets the stage for finalization in a phone call between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled for Friday. This could lead to another extension of the ban deadline if needed, potentially pushing it to November alongside broader trade truce expirations.