Former US President Donald Trump recently stated that the United States will have “tight control” over the popular app TikTok, describing the arrangement as a “very good deal” for Washington.

“We are going to have very tight control. It is an amazing thing that has been created. I am a little prejudiced because I frankly did so well on it. It got me numbers that nobody has ever even heard before,” Trump said. He added that the app is highly sought after by young Americans and their parents alike.

Trump also highlighted the positive relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying, “So we were able to work out a deal with China. It’s a very good deal for us. I hope it’s a good deal for them. These are American investors. They are very famous people financially. They’ll have control of it. I want to thank President Xi because he was a gentleman. We just had a good relationship.”

The remarks came after a telephonic conversation between Trump and President Xi Jinping, during which they discussed various issues, including TikTok. The app faces the threat of a ban in the US following legislation passed by the Biden administration mandating that TikTok divest its ownership from the Chinese internet company ByteDance.

In response to the talks, ByteDance released a statement expressing gratitude to both leaders and affirming its commitment to complying with Chinese law to ensure TikTok continues operating in the US. The statement read:

“We thank President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump for their attention to TikTok. ByteDance will advance related work in accordance with the requirements of Chinese law, allowing TikTok U.S. to continue serving American users well.”

The legislation, passed in April 2024, aims to ban TikTok in the US starting January 19, 2025. However, the government has not yet enforced the ban as it negotiates a deal with China.

According to reports by The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, citing sources familiar with the discussions, the proposed agreement would grant a group of American investors control of 80% of TikTok, while the remaining 20% would remain with Chinese firms including ByteDance.

This development reflects ongoing efforts by the US to secure greater control over the platform amid national security concerns.

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